Dawn of Darkness

18 years after the Battle of Yavin...
A divergent, persistent and interactive Star Wars timeline with a rich history and established characters.

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Post by Cadden »

Darth Trayus sat upon his throne and gazed out of the room's windows against the barren landscape surrounding the castle. It had become rather fitting for him, to be located here rather on the battlefront, as he commanded his new empire in its war against the Jedi.

No, not just the Jedi. For Trayus, little mattered anymore. His father was dead, Sivter was nowhere to be found, all that was left for him was his vengeance. His sheer hatred for what had been done to him.

He was tricked, he had finally come to realize, and trapped in a destiny he had no control over. The more he fought, the more the Nomad Soul resisted him. His father's death was a means to manipulate his own fall to the dark side. But why?

"You will not win," he told the Nomad Soul, closing his eyes, and concentrating once more. "I will not let you win."

The Nomad Soul chuckled. "Do you really think it was I who did any of this, Blackthorne?" he responded. "No... this... all of this... was your doing."

"But at your behest," Trayus countered. "And for what? Another slice of power? Is my body, my essence, so important to you that you have denied me everything... even the only thing I have left, my vengeance? Why not just take me, and purge me from this body, end my torment?"

He could feel the Nomad Soul sneer. "Make no mistake, Blackthorne. I have no love for you or your followers. On the contrary, I intent to scour this galaxy of all those whom oppose me. And make no mistake... I have the power to do it."

"You mean I have the power to do it," Trayus retorted. "Or have you forgotten, my body is your vessel to your power?" He could feel the Nomad Soul's disgust in that statement.

"I believe you need to be taught a lesson, boy," he said, bitterly. "You are nowhere near as powerful as you think you are."

Suddenly, Trayus lurched from his throne and tumbled against the floor. His head throbbed in pain, and gasping for air, he made certain to resist the temptation to let of a verbal response to the agony he felt. No one within his empire could know of the source of his powers.

"You see, Blackthorne," the Nomad Soul continued, apparently unharmed by the events that transpired, "you have no control over me. True, I could purge your soul from this body, claim it as my own. But I have far greater plans that require you to remain." Another burst of pain sent Trayus catapulting forward and slamming against the wall.

Trayus stumbled to his feet and mustered all his strength, and let up a mental barricade, which temporarily relieved the pain. But soon, another burst came forth, literally shattering his wall and collapsing him to the floor once again. "Do not harbor false hope," the Nomad Soul taunted. "You cannot win! I have waited long enough for my plans to come to fruitiion, Blackthorne... I will not let a foolish upstart such as yourself deny me my destiny!"

Trayus gasped for breath, but it was futile, and soon, his strength faded, and he collapsed to the floor. And all went dark.

With a grunt, moments later, Trayus forced his eyes open. What... what happened? he pondered, but soon decided it best to leave such instances alone. Bringing himself to his feet, Trayus staggered to his throne once more and sat down, resting a gloved hand agaisnt his forehead for a moment as he closed his eyes.

As his eyes opened once again, he felt refreshed, as though the Force had granted him a boost of power. He looked around. Everything seemed... different, somehow. Slipping his helmet on and retrieving Soulblade, Trayus propped himself from the throne, and took one step. It was a different sensation than before. A strange sensation. It was something he could not quite place.

He took another step, the sensation continued. As he walked up to the entrance to the throne room, Trayus simply projected a thought, and the doors swung open. He left the throne room and proceeded on his way, sensing the arrival of Alexis Kiara.

He met her in the main hall. "Alexis Kiara," he spoke, his voice tainted with a dark, demonic tone, "what is your report?"
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Post by Xanamiar »

"My Lord, Dathomir is in a deep rebellion against the empire. I have succesfully cast the shadow upon the New Republic, and at the same time even got the Nightsisters of that world to attack the imperial base. There should be enough left alive to report all of it back to the Empire."

Alexis paused as she waited for Trayus to speak, but could feel a difference, something that was more familiar about him now.
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Post by Cadden »

"Good," Trayus responded. "Everything is proceeding according to plan, then. Soon, war between the Republic and the Empire will erupt once more. And then our plans may begin to unravel." He turned and looked at the surrounding architecture with disinterest. "I sense you have returned to this world with a purpose of your own." She nodded. "Very well, then. You have your leave."

As Alexis bowed and departed, Trayus mused over the events that unfolded. With the success at Dathomir, and the reported success at Chorax, he could, indeed, see the beginnings of a new age of darkness engulfing the galaxy.

And there was nothing he could do to stop it, he realized. It had become apparent to him that the Nomad Soul had orchestrating this from the beginning. For what purpose, he did not know. But even he, too, became a pawn, and that the true master was not Trayus himself, but the Nomad Soul.

Rahk'neqah.

Trayus examined his gauntlet for a moment, before he stretched it out to his side, and let out a formation of dark side energies, shaped as a spear, against a nearby soldier. The energy impacted the man, and instantly killed him. Curling his hand into a fist, Trayus inspected his hand for a moment before letting it down.

And then let out a grin.

"Yes," he heard Rahk'neqah's voice echo through his head, "accept your fate... you now serve me...."
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Post by Xanamiar »

Several days later

Alexis walked back through the long hallways and into the throne room, to find it empty. She turned back around and walked back through the halls. Finding several Dark Jedi who were standing at guard, she ordered them to follow her. They entered a large room, which was used for training. Alexis turned to them.

"I want you all to attempt to kill me. If you don't give it your best, I guarentee you will die here on this floor." She smirked at them all as she pulled out her newly built curved-hilt paired sabers. Her hand passed over a single switch on the end of the handle, and both blades flipped on. Alexis nodded at the Dark Jedi who all ignited their sabers, standing ready for an attack. Alexis ran into the midst of them and began attacking them. They were doing quite well blocking the strikes, but couldn't seem to get any real blows in. Then as she began to feel the rage in them, she knew it was time to start making them really mad.

With a flick of another switch, while combatting them, one end of the saber flipped off, throwing two of the Dark Jedi off balance, then as they got back up she hit another switch which flipped the blades, knocking the other three off balance and blocking the first two.

Alexis began to laugh as she enjoyed her new creation. Both blades lit up attacking the Dark Jedi again. With a flip of her wrists from one to the other the saber blades flickered on and off, keeping them all off guard. She continued to attack with the sabers joined, then with a simple twist of the blades, the one became two. The Dark Jedi could feel her twisted humor, they could see that they could not win. Alexis' eyes began glowing green then back to their crystal blue color as she went into an all out attack.

Several minutes had passed when the doors to the training area opened up, and the 5 men who had followed her in were on the floor. Three of them were going to need help getting up, and the other two wouldn't be getting up at all.

Alexis walked back into the throne room to find Trayus sitting on his throne.

"I have done what I needed to do my Lord. I feel that there is something on your mind. A plan unfolding perhaps?"
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Post by Cadden »

Darth Trayus's hand clenched the throne it rested upon, before slowly resting itself once again. The armored dark lord stood from his position and, silently, approached Alexis. When he was within striking distance with his lightsaber, he stopped, and looked at her for a moment, before speaking. "You have served me faithfully," he said, his voice so different now that it was unclear who's it was anymore. "And for that, you will find your work to be rewarding."

Trayus circled around Alexis until he stood between her and the entrance to the throne room, his back turned to her. "I have received a vision of a lush world, containing the whereabouts of a host of arcane artifacts that could prove useful in our conquest." He paused for a moment. "I have been able to pull the name of this place from this vision. Wayland."

Alexis bowed. "I shall find this world." As she left, Trayus held out his hand, blocking her from her exit. "My lord?"

"We will find this world," Trayus corrected her. "I have already contacted Lord Invictus, he will oversee operations in our absense. If this world contains anything useful, I want to see it for myself." She bowed once again. "We shall take the Shadow Hunter. This world reeks of Imperial control, which means we will need to establish our presence on our own terms."

"Yes, my lord."

Several minutes passed before the two arrived in the hangar. Trayus observed his craft. With its advanced stealth drive, they should be able to bypass any security screens being made around this world.

Of course, they would have to find it first. Wayland did not appear on any standard charts. Which meant that there was something there that was not meant to be found.

An ideal location for the Empire to set up base.

They would have to plan their movements carefully. Subtlety and discreet actions would be key to this mission's success. But to determine any information on the whereabouts of this planet would be a difficult task to achieve. But Trayus had a good idea where to start.

OOC: S'pose we'll make a thread for it....
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Re: Dawn of Darkness

Post by Cadden »

Morazis

The lone figure, draped in black robes which covered the full body armor that encased his body, observed the desolate landscape as he awaited the return of the scouts. The DRK-1 Dark Eye probe droids that were dispatched had yet to return any useful information to Darth Trayus as to the whereabouts of the structure he had seen in his vision. What he had seen still loomed clearly in his mind; an ancient temple, built into the cliffside around it, looming over nearly every other that he had known.

But he had never been able to discern the location of this temple. Trayus had taken an educated guess that it was here, on Morazis, for the landscape he had seen in his vision resembled that of the terrain found on the desolate world. It was only an educated guess, however, though Trayus could not comprehend why he would have seen this place if its location was meant to be kept a secret to him.

And so he calmly waited amongst the sandy terrain, but meters away from his ship, the Shadow Hunter, for the return of the DRK-1s. He was deep in meditation, contemplating his next move. The visions had been getting more and more frequent - one was of a barren, volcanic planet that had a strange aurora of the dark side of the Force surrounding it; another vision was more of a vision of metaphors, and detailed to him a war on the horizon unlike any other he had experienced before. Yet the more he was learning, the less he knew, it seemed, as he had yet to discern any useful information from these unusual visisons.

A mechanical whizzing sound broke Trayus's concentration, as one of the DRK-1 probe droids approached from the distance. The Dark Lord of the Sith opened his eyes and looked out of his visor at the approaching droid. It made a report to the Dark Lord, then buzzed by him and into the Shadow Hunter. The news was less than favorable to the Sith Lord. But there were still three other droids to report in to him, so there was still a good chance the temple may be found on this planet.

Trayus's comm. link buzzed to life, and the Dark Lord simply activated the device. A hologram appeared before him, projecting the visage of Supreme Commander Keldon Tyfus. "Tyfus," Trayus spoke, "what news do you have for me?"

"Lord Trayus," Tyfus responded, "we have analyzed the data you had brought to us, and we beilieve that it would be possible to build what you requested." Trayus was pleased to hear this report; it was the first good news he had received in days. "However," the Dark Lord's mood dimmed at the sound of the word, "the Empire will require a significant amount of resources should the project come into fruitition."

This was only partially expected. Trayus did not think that the schematics would have called for more than the Crimson Empire was able to contribute. "Then it would be in your best interest to find those resources, Tyfus," Trayus responded.

Tyfus bowed. He knew what this meant. "I will arrange for this acquisition immediately, my lord."

The supreme commander was halted by an upraised hand. "The Imperial Remnant and New Republic are not taking our maneuvers to incite war seriously enough," he continued. "It is time to raise the stakes, make this war a little more interesting. Initiate phase two of our plans."

Tyfus's response was less than confident. "Do you believe the Empire to be ready for this, my lord? After all, there are other, more dangerous entities to take into consideration, such as -"

His words were stopped, and Tyfus gripped his throat. "My orders are final, commander," Trayus retorted. "Do not forget that, while you hold a great deal of importance to my plans, I can easily find another to replace you." The invisible grip on the supreme commander's throat loosened, and Tyfus gasped for air. "The list of targets will be transmitted to you shortly. Do not disappoint me, commander."

"Yes, my lord," Tyfus responded, somewhat weakened. "I will issue the orders to the commanding parties." Without so much as a response, Trayus terminated the connection. The allegiance that Tyfus had sworn to him was beginning to falter, as the supreme commander was beginning to question his motives. It was something that Trayus would have to deal with when he returned to Testria. The Dark Lord returned to his meditations, as he awaited the reports of the other three probe droids he had dispatched.

__________

Cylon

Darth Invictus looked over the end result of the hard, laborous work that Cylon Cybernetics had put into the Lancer Droid models. His master would definitely be pleased with what he would see in their first battle. "Bring forth the next test subject," he ordered. The two members of the Elite Guard that had been accompanying him dispersed, and made their way to the holding cells. Moments later, Invictus watched the test chamber's main door open, and the two Elite Guardsmen shove the test subject into the room, before closing the door. The individual looked up at the Sith Lord, his long hair draped over his dirty face as the Jedi gave Invictus a grim, sour expression.

The Sith Lord just watched in amusement. "Your time has come, Jedi," he stated through the intercomm. "Since you have been so reluctant to join me and my master, you have determined your fate. And now, as an ironic twist, you are about to help the Sith make their ascension as the rightful rulers of this galaxy." Invictus waved his hand, and an adjacent door opened, revealing a single figure. The Lancer droid stepped forward from the doorway into the testing chamber. "And what would a Jedi be, without his lightsaber?" he asked. A cylindrical object rolled down from a revealed opening in the wall, dropping near the Jedi. "I am feeling generous, however, Jedi, so I will strike a bargain with you. If you defeat my droid, I will let you return to your vaunted Order. You can tell them whatever you please. But, if my droid is victorious..." If Invictus were capable of grinning, he would have. The Jedi didn't even have to think about it. If the droid won, the Jedi would be dead. "You may begin."

Invictus watched with a sense of pride as the duel began.

Several moments later, the duel ended. "Darth Trayus would be pleased," he said as he heard someone approach him. "Rest assurred, K471, your program has become a success. The Lancer Droids will be far more effective in the battlefield than your feeble Destroyers."

K471 looked at the dead Jedi in the test chamber. "We have gone through great lengths to provide you your test subjects, Lord Invictus," K471 responded. "General Bane put great faith in your ability to turn the Lancers into a success. It appears as though we were wise to allow you to spearhead their development."

"My master will be contacting you about their first deployment in due time," Invictus said. "I trust that you will not disappoint him?"

"I live only to serve," K471 responded. Even if he wished to betray Trayus, he knew that the Dark Lord would ensure it would be the last thing that he could ever do. And to K471, it was far greater an opportunity for him to regain his lost power if he were to stay alive, and be the servant to another. Of course, he expected Trayus to be suspicious of his movements, so he had to plan carefully, but K471 was confident that, in time, the Cylon Imperium would return to his control.

"Then I shall take my leave," Invictus said. "I have other matters that I need to attend to." With that, Invictus turned, and left the cooridor, and K471 to his musings.
You have a right to remain silent... I hope to God you use it.
Xanamiar wrote:Cadden is a comical genius.
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Re: Dawn of Darkness

Post by Cadden »

Trayus scanned over the reports of the results from the attacks on the Republic and Empire. Little was being done from either group in response. Their attention was focused... elsewhere. Trayus focused, using the Force to process this information. Somewhere, out there, a darkness was coming. A darkness that held the attention of many. Jedi, in particular.

He grinned sadistically. It had to have been Sivter's doing. He remembered back on Cylon, when he fought the Defel dark Jedi. To stay away from the Cult's interests, that was Trayus's end of the bargain. And stayed away from them, he had. But, now that he thought on it, he realized what, exactly, that meant. Sivter was planning something, something big. Big enough to attract the attention of the entire Jedi Order. Big enough to make even the New Republic and Galactic Empire divert their attention his way.

This is the opportunity we have been waiting for, Rahk'neqah's voice echoed in his mind. An opportunity to strike... to pave the way for the coming events.

Trayus shifted his head from the console and looked up at the night sky. It had been dark for three hours, now, and one probe had yet to return to him with its report. If we take the opportunity to crush our enemies, the Nomad Soul continued, then everything will be ready.

And what about the Sith that border my empire? he asked the spirit. It certainly holds a large enough threat that we cannot simply leave it alone.

He could hear the spirit chuckling in his mind. You underestimate the powers I have granted you, he responded. You need no longer pursue this pointless conflict of yours. Instead, look to forge alliances. Trayus couldn't believe what Rahk'neqah was suggesting. The whole point of the uprisings was to avert attention away from the Crimson Empire and its activities, and now he wanted him to stop? I believe that the Mandalorians are still looking for you.

They would never ally themselves with a Sith Lord, Trayus countered.

No, but they would feel a sense of duty to ally themselves with their former leader.

Trayus thought on the statement for a moment. Yes, Rahk'neqah was right. While the Mandalorians would not feel at ease fighting alongside the Sith, they would not necessarily know that Trayus was of the Sith. But it would be difficult to convince them to join him. Chances were, they had a new Mandalore by now, and if what he was preparing them for followed through on its own accord, he knew exactly who that would be.

Garen Starfall would not be easily convinced to join him in his war.

And if they refuse? Trayus asked the Nomad Soul.

Then they are of little use to us, the spirit responded.

And what of Morazis? Trayus asked. But before he received a response, the console that was monitoring the probes sounded off. Trayus averted his attention to the incoming message. The final probe reported nothing out of the ordinary. Then it's settled, he continued. I will travel to Mandalore myself. He stopped himself for a moment. What others would be willing to join our cause?

There was silence. Not many, Rahk'neqah finally responded. But you shouldn't need many. Few strong allies are better than many weak.

Trayus could not have said it better himself, but he knew the spirit was holding back. Who else? he pressed.

There are other groups consisting of those strong in the Force that could prove useful to us, Rahk'neqah continued. I sense that there are at least three others that share a common goal as yourself.

Killing Sivter? Trayus tried to make it sound like he wasn't surprised.

One of them, Rahk'neqah answered. The other two hold a much larger set of interests in mind. The eradication of their enemies, no matter the cost. Allying with all three will make you -

Unstoppable, Trayus interrupted. The Sith Lord proceeded to another console, and opened up a communications link. "Commander Tyfus," he spoke.

"Yes, my lord?" the supreme commander's voice cackled back after a moment.

"Withdraw the fleet," Trayus ordered. "Our plans have changed."

"My lord?"

Trayus frowned. "Do not dare question my orders, commander, or it will be the last thing you ever do." There was silence. "WIthdraw the fleet," Trayus repeated. "You will be briefed in full when you return to Testria."

"Yes, my lord." The communication was subsequently severed.

Trayus changed frequencies to his satisfaction, then reopened the comm. device. "Alexis," he spoke, "I have a new assignment for you."

__________

Testria

Darth Trayus turned from the viewport as Keldon Tyfus entered the room. "My lord," he spoke as he approached, offering to Trayus a bow, "I am here to serve." I'm sure you are, Trayus thought. He looked at the three that accompanied him. Tyfus's Crimson Guard. The only thing that Trayus could not directly control. He did not like that, not one bit.

"Commander Tyfus," Darth Trayus responded, "your service to the Empire has not gone unnoticed. "However, I now have a different kind of assignment for you. You are to act as my voice of diplomacy."

"Diplomacy, my lord?" Clearly the order took Tyfus aback. "WIth whom?"

Trayus thought on the question a moment. It was a good question, and since his return from Morazis he had gathered some valuable intelligence on potential allies that housed themselves in locations of strategic importance to him. "The Tion Cluster, I have come to discover, has found its way to a unified government." Tyfus raised an eyebrow in response. "If my sources are correct, and they usually are, then they would prove to be a great asset to our cause."

Tyfus bowed. "Then I shall leave immediately," he responded. Trayus stopped him.

"You are not going alone," he said. "I will have Lord Invictus and his apprentice, Parek Vuusen, accompany you." He could feel the discontent in Tyfus. Good. Trayus knew that this would stir some sense back into the supreme commander. Trayus's talk earlier to Invictus about Tyfus secured the Dark Lord's status as the head of state of the Crimson Empire.

"You will accompany him to the Tion Cluster," Trayus told his apprentice. "I suspect that, there, Tyfus will attempt to betray me, and bring a potential ally against us."

Darth Invictus bowed. "Yes, master," he responded obediently. "I will make an example for him to follow."

Trayus thought on the statement. "Do not harm Tyfus," he warned the other Sith Lord. "He is still of use to me. Alive, and uninjured." He paused for a moment. "Take some of those new Lancer Droids with you. As well as a couple dozen Armature-class Assault Droids."

"The Armatures, my lord?" Invictus asked. "Will that be necessary?"

"Lord Invictus," Trayus responded, "I did not get this far in my plans by being reckless." Invictus understood the undertone of Trayus's message. "Make it so. I will be sending Tyfus off in three days." Invictus bowed, and the communications link was severed. Trayus leaned back in his chair. Now to see how good a hand he truly was dealt.


"My lord," Tyfus responded, "with all due respect, I believe it would be best not to show off any intimidation to these people. They have a history of alignment with the Empire, and -"

"I am uninterested in a history lesson, commander," Trayus interrupted, growing somewhat agitated. "You have your orders. Worry about your mission, I will worry about any consequences." Tyfus bowed, and took his leave. Once they left the chamber, Trayus turned his head to the darkness. "Is it ready?" he asked. The Noghri Roghehk stepped forward, revealing himself to Trayus.

"Yes, my lord," he respodned. "We have decyphered the information, as per your request, and it awaits your review."

"Good."
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Re: Dawn of Darkness

Post by Cadden »

Within the meditation chambers of the palace, Darth Trayus sat cross-legged, focusing on the Force and the visions he was to receive, and had received in the past. It was not long ago that he secured his alliance with the Mandalorians, and Darth Invictus and Keldon Tyfus had reported to him but the other day that the discussions with this Tion Consortium, which by Darth Invictus's reckoning would prove invaluable in the coming months as another forefront against the Sith Empire, the Cult of Shadow, and the Jedi. Especially the Jedi.

He had grown a particular hatred for the Jedi. Something he could not quite comprehend. As if it was in his very nature to harbor such ill will against them. And it was not just because they had betrayed him. Though, in truth, it was you whom betrayed them, Rahk'neqah interjected.

They betrayed me by refusing to aid me, he countered.

And, yet, had they aided you to begin with, those that would have accompanied you would have either died, or turned to the dark side along with you. You would have never tolerated the Jedi to learn of your true nature. You still hide behind that mask of yours, like a coward, unwilling to face his greatest enemy yet. Yourself.

Trayus scowled at the thought of being labled a coward. I conceal my identity to manipulate my enemies, he responded. If the Jedi knew it was me who attacked and ravaged the City of the Jedi, I would be in ruin by now.

Call it what you will, Rahk'neqah responded, but it is still cowardice.

As if in submission, Trayus reached up and removed his mask, placing it down in front of him, the blank sockets where his eyes peered from staring right back at him. It felt... unnerving, somehow... to stare back at the monster which he had created.

I can grant you something you never had before, Rahk'neqah continued. All it requires from you is... a sacrifice.

Trayus frowned. He had grown accustomed to seeing without sight, using the Force to see his surroundings. It made him far more powerful simply knowing what others didn't, than anything he had ever experienced before. And yet, this "gift" was also given to him by the Nomad Soul, back when he accepted Soulblade, and the Nomad Soul's occupation, and near-domination, of his body. What more could you possibly have to offer me?

Rahk'neqah chuckled. A new identity. All you need is to give the word, and I shall make you new.

Trayus dwelled on the thought. A new identity. He could abandon this charade behind a mask, he could become something new... something that would conceal his identity at all times. But, at the same time, he was reserved. And what would become of Cadden Blackthorne? he asked. Would that identity fade away?

Are you harboring regrets? I thought you shunned the thought of consequence when you agreed to allow me to assist you on your mission to end Sivter's life.

No... no regrets, Trayus responded. But the identity still holds its usefulness to me.

Rahk'neqah chuckled. If you believe that to be the case, then you are sorely mistaken. There was a pause. But, rest assured, you will retain your old identity, if it makes your decision secure. This new identity, however, will become your primary identity, and your previous will not be what others see at first. This is the sacrifice you will have to make, if you want to see Sivter die by your own hand.

As Trayus dwelled on the thought, he finally nodded. As if doing so would make a difference in what he said. Very well, he said, forge me this new identity.

Be aware, Rahk'neqah cautioned him, this new identity will come at a price, as there is no power you can accumulate that will be without consequence.

No price is to steep to see Sivter dead, Trayus responded. He closed his eyes, and felt the energies of the dark side begin to focus on him, surrounding him and consuming him in their aurora. He felt pain begin to run across his body. At first in was nuicanse, but as time passed, the intensity grew, and soon it became excruciating. He resisted the urge to give in to it, and continued to fight the sensation.

Trayus felt his body start to change. Several minutes passed as the procedure continued, until finally, the pain subsided, though its effects yet lingered. Trayus opened his eyes, and looked at the mask before him. Now, Rahk'neqah continued, you need no mask to accomplish what you have sought out to do. No one will ever discover your true identity.

No one? Trayus echoed, and looked in a nearby mirror. Not even he recognized himself anymore. It was the perfect disguise. Using the Force, he brought his armored mask to his hand, and placed it over his face, as if he could not stand to view himself anymore. In truth, it was a security precaution. No one in the Empire, save for a mere handful of individuals, knew what he looked like, and he doubted any of them would be convinced that the Dark Lord of the Sith that approached them next would be the same they have been serving.

No one, Rahk'neqah confirmed.

Placing the helmet back over his head, and drawing his hood over it, Trayus left the meditation chamber. Already he could feel the side effects of this power, and immediately took note of the most obvious. You stripped me of my ability to see through the Force, he noted, with a level of hatred in the thought.

No, Rahk'neqah responded. I restored your eyesight. The ability to see through the Force is not a physical trait, it is a skill through the Force. You do not need your eyes to see through the Force, but you can use the Force to enhance your eyesight. The ability will return to you, when you relearn how to use it.

Discontented with that answer, the Dark Lord simply continued walking down the cooridor. And now, Rahk'neqah continued, it is time.

Trayus made no effort to hide his confusion. We still require allies, he countered. Do you mean for the war to begin without them?

You need allies to fight the Sith Empire, the Nomad Soul argued, but not the Jedi. You fought the Jedi on Taylon without additional support... you do not need the Tion Consortium or the Mandalorians to continue that fight. And you do not need them to kill Sivter, either. The Jedi are weak, and Sivter is but one person standing in the way. But the Sith Empire will require a combined assault that, alone, you cannot possibly launch.

Trayus saw where the Nomad Soul was going with his statement. But what to attack? he wondered. Taylon has raised its defenses, a second attack would prove disasterous. And Onderon... the Jedi have returned there and are stronger than when the Cult of Shadow attacked before. What is there left?

He could hear Rahk'neqah's sinister laugh echo in his head.You do not need to hit a large target to make a profound impact upon your enemy.
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Re: Dawn of Darkness

Post by Cadden »

Darth Trayus looked over the data on the holodisplay before him. It was heavily archaic, at best, but he came to expect this. He discovered several things from the archives below the Imperial palace, this being one of the most extravagent. One of the most dangerous.

And one of the most useful.

He allowed himself a grin. Trayus did not know whether these machinations were Rahk'neqah's doing, or if they were his own, but he did know that the message before him, regardless of how cryptic its meaning was, contained a very clear purpose. For all this time, he was attempting to stir war between the New Republic and Galactic Empire, but the best that his machinations did was increase tensions amongst them. These schemings would never result in a full-fledged war. But this... this would. All it took was some strategic placement of his most capable agents into key locations amongst both the New Republic and Galactic Empire, key leaking of information, and then he could sit back and watch the plan unravel on its own, with little of his own personal involvement.

It was subtlety at its best. And a plan that fit perfectly into his plans. While the Galactic Empire and New Republic would be busy fighting each other, he would be free to publicly oppose the Cult of Shadow, without opposition.

But it still left him with one big problem on his hands. The nearby Sith Empire. While the rest of the galaxy lay blind to their presence, Trayus knew of their presence just by looking through the Force. Rahk'neqah granted him that one special gift, and then took it away from him, with the promise it would be restored with patience, and practice.

Both of which he had been diligently practicing, with no avail.

Trayus pulled up a holo map of the galaxy and mulled over the area that, at one point in history, was considered Sith space. He observed the part of space that Korriban was once located, until the Galactic Empire foolishly turned it into an asteroid field. Its fate was shared with the likes of Alderaan and Malachor V. It would have been his first priority, but with its destruction turned up a problem. Trayus frowned. This would require a more indirect route to put the Sith Empire in its place. But who to turn to in order to ensure the Sith Empire's destruction?

Of course. Their oldest enemy. The Republic. While the New Republic was, relatively, weakened from the Xen'Chi War, Trayus knew that they would be on edge to any potential threat to their government, galactic stability, and peace. Not to mention the Jedi would likely flock to their aid in response to a growing threat of a Sith Empire. It didn't matter to Trayus if these Sith were like the old breed or not. If a threat didn't exist, he'd make one. His attack on Taylon was successfully averted when he blamed the Sith Empire for his own actions, which, as it turned out, was futile. His main objective, killing Cazzik Wyn, had failed, he discovered, on his return visit to the planet. This irritated him, but Rahk'neqah assurred him that he would have his vengeance later.

But now, Cazzik was the least of his concerns. Trayus had bigger things in mind. Like killing those whom were responsible for his father's death. Specifically, that creature with a black heart, Sivter.

But was he any better, now that he had merged himself with Rahk'neqah? Had Cadden Blackthorne himself become the monster he sought to destroy? Was he, whom was betrayed by his closest friends and allies, the real betrayer? Cazzik, after all, was telling him he ought to meditate on matters before he pursued Sivter, given Cadden's emotional attachment to the circumstances.

No, he thought. Cazzik refused me aid when I needed it. And if he refused, then the rest of the Jedi would definitely refuse to grant me the support I sought. But then, he did seek out Rahk'neqah's support before he did the Jedi Order's.

They have turned against you, he heard the Nomad Soul's voice echo in his head. Visions flashed before his eyes, those that he wasn't sure if they were true or not, but were real enough to be believable. Now, take your revenge.

His eyes narrowed. Yes... Rahk'neqah spoke the truth. The Jedi turned against him, not the other way around. Despite seeking out the Nomad Soul's support first, he did still seek the aid of the Jedi Order afterwards. It was mere consequence that those whom chose to follow him, regardless of his apparent turning to the dark side, also turned. He must take his revenge against those whom betrayed him and his very trust.

First things first, however... Sivter had to pay. And to do so, Trayus needed to have free access to the resources he needed to make sure the creature tasted his vengeance, in all of its fury and wrath. By destroying Sivter and his cult, Trayus assessed that he would have the means to destroy the Jedi Order.

And the rest of the galaxy, he was reminded by the conscious of the Nomad Soul.

I care not for the galaxy, Trayus replied. Let it deal with its own problems. I only care about Sivter, and the Jedi Order.

Rahk'neqah growled, and the resulting pain was excruciating. Remember who owns your soul, "Lord" Trayus! He struggled to maintain control, but the Nomad Soul's influence on his body was too great. He was growing stronger. But... how? Now, bow to your master. Cadden took a knee, unwillingly. The creature's sinister laugh vibrated through his very being. You still have much to learn, Blackthorne. Your will is not your own. Not anymore. He continued to struggle, as Rahk'neqah's grip tightened on him. You still do not understand all that is happening. You are a pawn of forces unseen, Blackthorne. Without me... you would be alone in the end. I am your one and only ally. More importantly, the only all you have that is strong enough to defeat Sivter.

Trayus could not argue that logic. Rahk'neqah was powerful. And, despite his defeat at Sivter's hand back on Cylon, he later discovered that Rahk'neqah allowed him to be defeated.

Then what will you have me do? he asked, already suspecting the answer.

It is time to initiate our plans. Trayus grinned at the comment. Your first target is the Sith Empire. You know what to do.

Darth Trayus turned to the map. There was one government in this galaxy that would willingly take the Sith head-on, with the proper influence. The New Republic. And there was one more that wanted redemption, and saw this as the perfect opportunity. The very government that he was responsible for. The Mandalorian Protectors.

Yes, Rahk'neqah was right. It was time, and this time, there would be no disappointments.
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Re: Dawn of Darkness

Post by Cadden »

Lorrd

Darth Trayus touched down on the planetary surface, and upon departing his shuttle, the Sith Lord immediately met with the spaceport security forces. They had little trouble identifying who he was - with reason, as the last time they had witnessed Darth Trayus, he was in his armor from head to toe. Since then, he had modified the armor further to where it was nearly indistinguishable from its origins. A benefit to not having true Mandalorian armor, he supposed.

"Lord Trayus," the head of the triage spoke up, "we have received the necessary supplies for the mission, and are awaiting your word for deployment."

Trayus nodded. "Very good," he said. "I expect to see a flawless execution of the operation, which requires a hassle-free departure. I trust the regional commander has seen to this?"

The armored individual nodded. "Security has been enhanced," he affirmed, "and docking fees have increased to keep prying eyes away." Trayus was pleased to hear this. The fees were raised by several times their original price, in order to deter visitors from staying. If they could not pay, they had to either leave, or they would be stuck on the planet. Either way, the Crimson Empire's next move would remain anonymous.

Without another word - typically a good sign, his troops have come to decide - the Sith Lord departed from the docking bay, and made his way toward the command center. The recent message that Sivter broadcasted from the galaxy as a whole had forced his hand, but the time was ripe, fortunately for him. The Sith Empire was crippled, and no longer posed a threat to him, and the Mandalorians were ready to fight for him. The Jedi were looking in all the wrong places for a man they knew nothing about, which if things played out right, they would figure out the key to that puzzle after it was too late. Now, it was time to deal the final blow. He would destroy the Galactic Empire and New Republic without firing a single shot.

The mission profile he needed to brief was intricate, and delicate; it required the elite of elite, specialists that he knew he could trust to get the job done without having to baby the mission either himself or through one of his agents. It would require the shadow ops of the Omega Commandos.

Upon arriving at the command center, Trayus met up with his commanders and advisors on the mission ahead of them. The room's tension immediately skyrocketed by his presence - an act that he couldn't decide on whether it was good or bad. "I want a full report on our progress," he demanded.

"Lord Trayus," one of the advisors spoke up, the individual responsible for planting his sleeper agents, "we have agents in high places on both sides, well woven into the political infrastructure within the Empire and Republic. Their voices have become very influential with those they 'serve,' and are ready to leak this information on your command."

Trayus nodded. "And the Omega Commandos?" he asked, specifically directed at one of the commanders.

"We have four squadrons trained for the mission and awaiting the word to deploy," he responded promptly. "The locals have no idea the planet is a staging point for a galactic war."

"If I may, my lord," another spoke up, "is it the most prudent time to be launching this campaign? What with the broadcast that Sivter sent out, I fail to see the success in this mission."

Trayus had considered that, himself, but he also knew that chaos was the best ingredient for his recipe. Launching this mission, and the subsequent campaign, at this time would ultimately bring victory to Trayus's hands. Besides that, his goal was not to destroy these governments, but to distract them long enough for a massive movement of force against Sivter and his Cult of Shadow. The added bonus, however, would be that the governments would ultimately either destroy, or cripple, each other anyway.

"The timing could not be better, I assure you," he responded. "I do not expect you to understand, I expect you to obey." He turned to an activated holo screen. It was a map of the galaxy. "This is a critical mission to our plans. Its execution must be flawless, anything less than perfect will result in failure. The objective is here," the location was highlighted in red, against the contrast of the blue galaxy. A world forgotten in time, but thanks to Emperor Palpatine, and the Force, Trayus rediscovered it. "No one must know of it until the signal is given. If the Empire and New Republic discover it before it is time for the war to begin, then all will be lost. Do not disappoint me; if this mission fails, I will take the lives of all those involved."
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Re: Dawn of Darkness

Post by Endorenna »

Sathine surveyed her shuttle and cursed silently. Wrecked, that’s what it was. Completely wrecked. Damn that mechanic on Eriadu! He’d said the engine would keep going for another year, and it had broken down after only a few weeks of slow travel! Now she’d have to pay for it to be fixed again. She had enough credits, but money would be tight for a while.

The human pulled her hood a little further down over her cold blue eyes and glanced back over her shoulder at the three security guards standing at the door of her ship’s berth. Two of them felt…bored. They were merely there in case she pulled a blaster. The other one was expectant, waiting for her. He was the welcoming committee, and therefore the one she had to get past. She brushed her hand across her face unconsciously. It was too bad her tattoos weren’t covered at the moment, but there was nothing to be done about it. She had been forced down here on Lorrd thanks to engine trouble, and she had no choice but to follow the rules unless she wished to attract attention to herself. The young woman took a deep breath. Time to play nice with security.

Sathine spun on her heel and quickly strode over to the waiting man. She smiled charmingly—well, as charmingly as she could with her tattoos exposed—and asked quietly, “What can I do for you, sir?”

The middle-aged man replied flatly, “Lorrd Security Force. We only let you down without paying because your engine was about to overheat. Now you pay up or lose your vessel. It’s five hundred credits per day of docking, plus whatever it costs to fix up that wreck.”

Sathine felt her charm about to melt, but she forced herself to keep smiling. Five hundred credits a day? That was exorbitant—and she felt a lie from him. He knew that she had no choice but to pay, so he was trying to get a higher sum out of her and keep some of it himself. Unfortunately for him, she only had about seven hundred fifty credits to her name after that botched “repair” on Eriadu, and she had no intention of giving up her ship to the security on some random planet. Her eyes darted to the side for an instant—security cameras. She couldn’t just resort to killing the three guards if she ever wanted to get her ship fixed. Inwardly, she grimaced. She had to do this a different way. Unfortunately, she felt that he had no attraction to her, so she couldn’t resort to pretending to be attracted to him.

Her smile thinned and became more threatening. She took a small step closer to him and lowered her voice, focusing her words to control his mind. “I don’t think so. Lorrd only charges a hundred credits a day. I’m not an idiot. If you’re not an idiot either, you’ll lower that to fifty credits a day so I don’t report your attempted robbery to your superiors. “

The man laughed sharply. “Very nice, kid, very nice. Good try with the mind trick, but Lorridian security has been trained to resist mind tricks in this age of Jedi and Sith. Pay the five hundred credits, or lose your ship.” He smiled slyly. “Let me guess—you don’t have enough to cover the repair and the berthing fee.”

Sathine’s smile disappeared completely. “If I am a Jedi or a Sith, you know what I can do.”

“And I know you’ll get shot down before you get out of this spaceport if you pull something. We’re prepared to handle anything here.” The guard crossed his arms. “Pay up or get out.”

The young woman clenched her fists and tried to keep her anger from flaring. Of all the—her engine went out, and now she was losing her vessel! “Please—it belonged to my father. He’s dead. It’s all I have left of him.”

The security officer crossed his arms and shrugged. “Very touching, but not good enough. Everyone has a ship from their father, or mother, or beloved uncle, and frankly, I don’t care. I’m guessing that you can’t pay what I want, so—“ He leaned forward slightly, a smug smile on his face. “Get the hell out of my spaceport.”

Sathine glared at him fiercely for a moment, but finally shoved past him walked out the door. Curse that man on Eriadu! Now she was out her ship, and she would have to rely on transports to get where she was going—and she’d just ditched her only steady employer. The Lorridian security would probably dismantle her shuttle and sell the parts, and it couldn’t take off. She couldn’t just steal it back. She didn’t have enough credits to bribe anyone, and she refused to let some official who could get it back for her have her body in return—and she had nothing else to bargain with.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

Several hours later, Sathine was leaning back against a metal support for some building, her arms crossed and her black hood pulled very low over her face. She’d checked the transport schedule, and none of the transports would be leaving for Mutanda or Serenno until the day after tomorrow. She was stuck here until then, stuck in the streets unless she wanted to pay a hotel bill with her meager credits.

Troops.

Coming down the street.

Sathine glanced at them for a moment. They were sort of like Imperials troops, but—but not quite. Close, but…different. Worse. Maybe not for others, but for her.

She had to get away from them.

The young woman slipped into the shadows of the building, out of sight of the troops. She took a quick look around. There were no visible security cameras. That meant that there were some, but not so many that she could instantly figure out what they were. She could hear the footsteps of the troopers coming closer. There was no time to find a more private place. It was now or never. Her face had been mostly concealed since she’d come to this planet, so she was relatively safe as long as she left the planet at the earliest possible moment.

Sathine closed her eyes, breathed deeply, and disappeared.
Mand'alor
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Re: Dawn of Darkness

Post by Cadden »

OOC: Haven't forgotten about you, Endorenna, just haven't figured out a good angle yet. I was actually expecting something a little more direct. :P

IC:

Darth Trayus finished his meeting with his advisors and, at his behest, they sent out the word to initiate the plans. The omega commandos were the first to be informed, through a series of encrypted, seemingly independent and meaningless messages, to initiate their operations, whereas, minutes later, several messages of the same variety were delivered to the sleeper agents scattered across the galaxy, informing them to begin their movements.

To Trayus, everything was clicking into place perfectly. It almost seemed too perfect. But, if things went sour at this point, he had taken the precautions to establish a backup plan. Now, it was only a matter of time before the Empire and Republic would, once again, wage war. And then he would be free to pursue his objectives.

As he departed from the planet's headquarters, he paused short. His two escorts followed the action, though said nothing. Looking around, Trayus tried to gain a bearing on the presence he sensed. Where was it eminating from? Who was this person? Jedi? No... Sith? No. Something... different. He was quick to cloak his presence in the Force entirely, to the point that, if this individual had sensed him before, they would no longer be able to. It would do him little good, but it would provide just enough of an advantage to weed this intruder out, and do what he willed upon the person.

One of his guards, a Noghri, silently left his side, and slipped into the shadows. The other, a Mandalorian, stayed his ground. The two were issued their silent orders, and would fulfill them like the loyal dogs they had become. Trayus continued to move, passively attempting to narrow down the intruder's location through the Force. If he did not find the individual first, then Roghehk would.

OOC: Again, I really don't have much of an angle. Do with this post what you will, we'll just see where it goes from here, I guess.
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Re: Dawn of Darkness

Post by Endorenna »

Sathine slowly made her way through the shadows of the buildings, carefully slipping around the few individuals in them. She had to get as far away from all danger as she could, quickly, and then she'd have to uncloak herself. In this crowded city, eventually someone would bump into her, and she had no desire to go through whoever it was trying to discover what they'd felt. Besides, she hadn't felt a Force-sensitive presence near her before she'd cloaked. A frown creased her brow. What if a Force-sensitive had come close since then, though? Her own senses were dulled when she was cloaked, so she wouldn't know, and any Force sensitive worth his training would notice when another presence suddenly appeared out of nowhere.

The young woman sighed silently. This was stupid. The chances of someone in the crowd bumping into her and causing her presence to be known to all were far greater than the chances of a Force Sensitive capable of defeating her just happening to be passing nearby at this moment. She didn't see any militia of any kind around, so she would just decloak and find a place to hole up in for a day or two.

Sathine glanced around. No one seemed to be looking in her direction. Perfect. She slowly breathed out, allowing her cloak to slip away.

Force.

She could sense someone powerful nearby--very powerful. Inwardly she cursed herself. Of all the times for her to decide to decloak! For once, her paranoia had been justified, and she had chosen that moment to reveal herself!

The human forced herself to keep her breathing steady. Steady--steady, she had to keep steady. If she stayed calm and kept her head, she would evade hi--

Then, as suddenly as the presence had appeared, it was gone.

Sathine gritted her teeth. This man she'd sensed was hiding himself--cloaked like she had been, perhaps? Maybe his cloak had the same drawbacks of her own, namely, her own senses being deadened and therefore not being able to sense others. But--but no. She was slowly overcoming those barriers, so she couldn't assume that someone else, someone more powerful than her, had her weaknessess, or even that he was really cloaked. There was only one option.

Run.

Sathine quickly continued walking down the street, remaining in the cold, mostly empty shadows. For a moment, she debated whether or not to cloak. It didn't take her long to decide. Her own senses would be dulled if she were cloaked, so she would avoid that as long as possible. When the presence reappeared, she needed to know.
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Re: Dawn of Darkness

Post by Cadden »

Roghehk was quickly tearing through the cityscape, keeping his senses alert as he attempted to hone in on his target. Like a wild animal out to kill its prey, the Noghri dark Jedi was quick, yet quiet, and while he served more as a distraction to keep the unknown Jedi from sensing the real threat, he was determined to catch her nonetheless.

While he wasn't anywhere near as adept at sensing others as Darth Trayus was, Roghehk was a trained assassin and, with his Noghri training at his command, tracking down prey was second-nature to him. And while his master did not specifically state that he wanted the Jedi alive, Roghehk knew, from previous encounters with Jedi, it was the preference. The... experiments... that the Jedi were being put through upon capture by his master often required fresh meat to perform them on.

Therefore, the options were limited, at best. The order issued to him from his master did not, however, restrict him from not harming his target. He would have his fun, neutralize his prey and, if possible, not kill it.

He rounded a corner, keeping to the shadows, and maintaining his alert senses. He could feel the Jedi's presence somewhere nearby. He wasn't far off. Soon, he would be upon the creature, he knew it.

OOC: Not much to go off of, but I'm not really feeling it at the moment. Feel free to take liberties as need be.
You have a right to remain silent... I hope to God you use it.
Xanamiar wrote:Cadden is a comical genius.
Mand'alor
Posts: 13808
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Location: Galaxy Bouncing

Re: Dawn of Darkness

Post by Cadden »

OOC: I guess this is supposed to be a dual-post... so, yeah, first ditty is by Endorenna. Let me know if this isn't what you had in mind, we can change it up a bit if need be.

IC:

Sathine went over her options in an instant. Running flat-out would just attract attention to her, making it easier for her pursuer to pick her out of the hundreds of people passing near her in the street. Walking too slowly would simply let him catch up with her quickly. A quick, steady stride was her best bet, and she paced herself accordingly. Now, she had to have a destination—the heart of the city. When she was mixed in with thousands of people, the Force-sensitive hunting her might not be able to find her. But until she got to a far more crowded area, she had to remain at the side of the street where there were fewer people, just in case her pursuer did catch up to her. She didn’t want her movement to be impeded by random pedestrians when she was fighting for her life or freedom.

Eternal minutes passed. Sathine took a twisted, intricate path towards the city’s center, but she could always feel a faint presence following her, coming for her, never faltering in its hunt. It was drawing closer, and closer, and closer, steadily reducing the distance between it and her. The young woman pressed her lips together. This “plan” wasn’t working; she needed another one, now. The only thing she could think of besides continuing to flee was to cloak herself…but no. As she had pointed out to herself before, that power was useful against non-Force-sensitives, but it was unreliable against Force-sensitive opponents. The cloak made her invisible and reduced her presence in the Force to a faint whisper, an echo just before it died away, but that wasn’t always enough. She didn’t know how powerful her pursuer was, and powerful Force-users could sometimes sense her despite her cloak. If her own senses were deadened, she wouldn’t have any warning before he attacked her.

Her jaw stiffened. There was only one option—to fight. She would keep running, but when he caught her, she would fight him. And maybe—just maybe—she would kill him and get away before the…the other presence she had felt…caught up with her as well.

The young woman pushed her cloak back off of her head with her left hand, then pulled a piece of leather cord from her belt and tied her long, silky black hair back in a ponytail. She didn’t want her own hair to get in her face during her battle. Little things like that could turn the tide and result in her death. The human girl quickly arranged her cloak so it hung out of the way behind her shoulders. Her lightsaber disappeared into her left sleeve moments later. There—she was prepared for her assailant.

He was close now. Sathine kept walking, but took in her surroundings and tried to make a few plans. She was walking on a sidewalk that spanned approximately thirty-one feet before giving way to the darker pavement of the proper street on her right. To her left was a rather stylish stone building that was about eighty stories high, if her eyes were correct. About four feet from the ground, there was a row of windows (undoubtedly made of some unbreakable material); they were spaced about ten feet apart from each other. More windows were lined up with those lining the bottom of the building; each row was about eight feet apart from the top of the lower windows to the ledges below the upper windows. To most people, the otherwise smooth building would be an impassable obstacle, but with the aid of the Force, she could make her way up the side of the building via the windows if there was no other escape. That situation was unlikely, but possible. Fifty feet in front of her, there was an awning stretching from the stone building to the edge of the sidewalk. Between the building and the edge, the heavy canopy was supported by foot-wide square stone pillars spaced apart by about ten feet. Beneath the awning, a crowd had gathered—waiting for some sort of bus, she assumed—but fortunately, the crowd around her was rather sparse. They’d clear out when the fight began.

He was almost upon her; she could feel it. The young woman’s stride slowed to a leisurely stroll as she feigned interest in an advertisement on the side of a passing vehicle. Just a few more moments....

__________

He rounded one final corner, coming up on is target. The Noghri could see her clearly, now, and as he stuck with the shadows and made sure to keep to the advantage of remaining unseen, he quickly made an assesment of the woman. She carried herself well, the markings of a warrior, and he immediately figured he would have to resort to keeping her from escaping. While Roghehk was a skilled combatant, he knew that, against a formidable warrior, he would have a run for his money. If she was of enough skill, then it was likely that the Noghri assassin would fail his mission and either fall in battle, or suffer his master's wrath.

As the Noghri quickly approached his target, he waited until the last second before activating his blade and bringing about a fierce Hawk-Bat Swoop upon his unsuspecting prey. In lightsaber combat, a split second was all that was required to determine the difference between life and death, and unfortunately for Roghehk, she was able to respond in that short period of time. Her own blade snapped to life, and she brought it in position to deflect the attack, just centimeters from her body. Immediately, she turned the defense into an attack, which in turn forced him to change his own stance in order to avoid being struck down.

Only seconds into the opening sequence of the duel, Roghehk had figured her to be a master of Makashi. This would pose a problem for the Noghri, as his skills outside of his two mastered forms were meant to supplement these forms, as well as his other combat methods. Fortunately for him, however, he had been training under Darth Trayus himself to utilize the unorthodox to overcome his foes. While it did not mean he could defeat a master of the Makashi from, it should be enough to at least stall her long enough for Trayus to arrive. His goal had quickly shifted in the first few seconds from apprehension to merely stalling the woman, keeping her in the open through the Force long enough to face the true master of combat.

Roghehk continued to block her flurry of powerful, yet elegant attacks until he found an opening that allowed for him to turn the tables. He blocked one of her blows and instantly followed through with a parry, moving her into position to allow him a Djem So Falling Avalanche maneuver. It wasn’t enough, however, as she was able to quickly reposition herself and, through a simple fluid motion, brought her blade up to meet his own, while simultaneously performing what appeared to be a Makashi Riposte. Had he not recognized the maneuver on time, it would have possibly meant the end of him, as her follow-through counter-attack was aimed right for his neck.

That’s where he took note of her other form. Like a true Shii-Cho combatant, she was targeting him as per where his body zones were designated. She was very skillful, perhaps even masterful, at utilizing the techniques in Shii-Cho to strike at these zones with a continuous, step-by-step advancement, making every attempt to cut off his angles. It was a clumsy form against a single opponent, but when paired with Makashi, it could have been deadly.

The two continued to exchange blows for some time, switching between offense and defense, as she proceeded to slowly, but surely, press him back. Roghehk knew, and suspected she also knew, that he was losing the duel, and the chances of him coming out victorious were dwindling away by the second. But he knew Trayus was close, and she did not. It was his biggest advantage, in that all he had to do was prolong the fight until he arrived. It may not have worked to his favor, but at the very least he would be satisfied to know that, if his master did not wish her to live, her end would come swift shortly after.

He only hoped that were the case, but he also knew that was his own personal pride speaking, and had a suspicion that Trayus would prefer her alive, even if Roghehk was found dead. When he first met Darth Trayus, as Cadden Blackthorne, he knew the man to be more considerate of his followers. But, over time, the corruption of… whatever that thing was… turned him into a cold, calculating individual whom saw everyone and everything under his command ultimately expendable. Roghehk had mixed feelings about being expendable, but was willing to accept his fate if it meant the greater good of the Brotherhood.

Finally, though for the Noghri it was deemed too soon, the woman managed to get a distinctive upper hand and, with a mere two swift, fluid motions, she disarmed Roghehk. He managed to avoid a few additional attacks and retrieved his lightsaber just before she could cut him down. Before he could regain his position in the battle, however, the woman unleashed a wave of Force energy against him, too fast for him to counter with is own, and Roghehk flew back and hit one of the duracrete walls with such a force that it incapacitated him. The Noghri’s consciousness slipped away and, just before all went black, he could sense a very powerful presence approaching. His last act against the woman was a mere maniacal grin, as his eyes closed and unconsciousness overtook him.

OOC: Feel free to lead in from here, if you’d like. Otherwise, I’ll just continue onward. Again, if this isn’t the flavor you wanted, just let me know and it can be changed accordingly.
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Re: Dawn of Darkness

Post by Endorenna »

Sathine spun her lightsaber and strode towards the unconscious creature. She had won, so she would kill him. It was his fault for pursuing her in the first place. If he’d left her alone, she wouldn’t have bothered him. It was a shame, though; killing someone would set the authorities on her trail. Unfortunately, despite the streets being completely deserted since the fight started, there were probably a hundred security cameras pointed at her right now, recording her every movement. She couldn’t just kill him with her knife and leave the authorities with no proof that a Force-user had killed him.


When she was a few feet away from her defeated foe, something moved in the corner of her right eye. She glanced down the empty sidewalk casually, expecting to see some unwary civilian. Instead, she saw a tall, broad man in a long black cloak walking towards her. The veil over his presence in the Force suddenly fell away.


Sathine’s mouth went dry. The other one she’d felt—that was him. She took a few steps back. Her victory over the creature at her feet had been sound and relatively swift, but against this man…she’d never faced anyone even approaching his power.


Her master’s words echoed in her mind. If you don’t think you can win, run. Run like hell.


He was only about thirty feet away now. Time to go.


The girl spun around and started running. Before she’d gone three steps, something slammed into her back, knocking her flat. She swore under her breath, rolled over, and flipped to her feet. Apparently, he wasn’t willing to just let her escape. If only she’d sensed him sooner! She could’ve been gone before he arrived! Now, though, he was way too close—she would have to fight.


Sathine took up her stance, allowing her ruby-red lightsaber to hang loosely from her right hand, so low that its tip almost brushed the ground. This was a difficult situation, but not an impossible one. He was strong with the Force, but she had considerable power within her herself. Her father had told her that her dueling skills were almost flawless. She would prevail, not through raw power, but through skill.


He was almost within reach of her now. Just a few more moments, and…


The man’s lightsaber snapped on and came smashing down on her in an overhead slash. She whipped her lightsaber up to meet it in a quick parry, twisting her blade slightly to the left and allowing the man’s lightsaber to glance away from her. The tip of her blade danced in towards his side, only to be tossed aside by her opponent’s ‘saber snapping back and blocking her thrust. Fluidly, she let her wrist roll and parry two quick strikes before feinting a slash at his ribs, only to roll her wrist back and turn the slash into another thrust at the last moment. The man easily countered her feint with a casual twist of his blade, followed through by an attempt to behead her.


Sathine allowed herself to flow into the fight, occasionally attempting to fool him with a feint, falling into a “pattern” of parrying, letting his blade barely touch hers as she moved away from his attacks, and half-heartedly attacking. This was the first stage of the fight, she knew—she was toying with him, assessing him, trying to pin down his style and tire him out at the same time. Strangely, though, after a minute of watching him, he didn’t seem to have a style—he seamlessly moved amongst them, like wind through reeds. She recognized elements from everything Yeron had taught her about lightsaber forms. Still, he had to start getting tired soon. His attacks were almost all very strong, so strong that she knew she couldn’t have straight-out blocked his blows without her own strength getting jarred out of her arms. Even now, she felt herself tiring, just from allowing his strikes to never do more than glance away from her bla—


Force.


She wasn’t wearing him out like she’d thought she was. He was tiring her.


Sathine was momentarily shaken, shocked that she had been fooled into letting her own tactics be used against her. How stupid of her! That was a trick an amateur should’ve been able to see! She—


Then, when her lightsaber arced up gracefully to deflect the man’s next blow…she took the full brunt of his strength.


The human girl was immediately forced into a crouch as she grabbed her lightsaber handle with her free hand and pushed back, attempting to hold him off. She felt her jaw stiffening instinctively against the pain the extraordinary effort sent shooting through her arms. The Dark Jedi closed her eyes, desperate to summon some extra ounce of concentration to show her the path out of this clench. Her left knee trembled against the pressure and finally buckled completely, dropping her into a one-legged kneel. She allowed the power being pressed down on her to channel through the weakened knee, despite the pain caused by it digging into the pavement so hard. Wait—of course. That was the way.


Sathine leaned into her left side and let her left hip collapse as well, threatening to unceremoniously dump her on the ground. Instead, she let the strength behind the last moment of the clench drop her hip down to the sidewalk, which she turned into a semi-roll that ended with her in another crouch. The man didn’t even seem to be thrown off-balance by her maneuver, much to her annoyance, and he immediately followed through with another downward slash. Sathine caught it at an angle; the force of the blow drove her into another roll, this time to her right. She wasted no time getting to her feet this time around—just in time to catch her foe’s eye and realize that she’d stepped into another trap.


During the battle, they’d edged closer to the pillars holding up the awning. Now, she was directly between him and corner of the pillar closest to the building. The man let loose a powerful Force Wave. Sathine didn’t have time to fully block; the best she could do was cocoon herself in the Force and let it absorb as much of the energy caused by her slamming back into the pillar as she could. The pillar shattered completely, covering her with its remnants. Sathine bit her tongue hard as she forced herself to get up—she could feel several shards of the stone buried in the flesh of her right calf, not to mention several other shallow gashes and cuts left on her back and sides. The only serious injury was her leg, fortunately. She stumbled to the side, back out under the awning and into the sun as she tried to regain her footing.


Almost before she realized it, she was forced to bring her lightsaber to bear once more, but before she could get her blade into a correct position to block or parry her opponent’s attack, the strike connected and knocked her lightsaber out of her hands. It flew a few feet away from her and clattered across the sidewalk. Immediately, she reached for her dagger with her right hand. Just as she pulled it out of its sheath, she felt a large hand close around her throat, snatch her from the ground, and slam her back against the side of the building. She gasped for air and found herself choking on her own saliva. The red blade came swooping down towards her once more. Her knife flashed up, but was, of course, cut through instantly. Her left hand rose.


Three inches from her head, the blade stopped.


Beads of sweat trickled down her forehead. She just…had…to keep concentrating…on blocking…the lightsaber. The Force Grip she’d exerted on the man’s ‘saber was strong, but she couldn’t hold it forever. She brought her right hand to bear as well—if nothing else, it would provide her with a few more seconds.


Her lungs started to burn from the lack of oxygen, and black spots were beginning to appear in her vision. She didn’t have long. Without air, she simply couldn’t stay conscious, which would, of course, result in her defeat. She had to free herself from his grip, quickly! If she let her grip on his weapon relax, she could probably make him let go of her throat—at the cost of letting him split her head in half. Perhaps she could form something between her hands that would cause a very mild blast, something to knock them apart, like two Force Pushes thrown from either hand. No, no, that wouldn’t do! She couldn’t do that and hold off his lightsaber at the same time.


Her master’s words again came to mind. Remember, there are only two ends to a duel—victory or defeat. There is no compromise. There is no tie. There is only the winner and the loser, the master and the slave.


Numbly, as her vision steadily grew darker and her hands began trembling, she realized that her defeat was imminent.


She was going to die.
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Re: Dawn of Darkness

Post by Cadden »

Darth Trayus tightened his grip on the woman's throat, intent on squeezing every ounce of life out of her body. He grinned, an action barely visible around his protective mask, as he enjoyed the ending moments of the woman's life.

Then let go.

The woman collapsed to the ground, grasping for air. She reached out her hand, in a desparate attempt to call her lightsaber to her. Instead, it flew to Trayus's hand, who activated the blade and brought both to her, surrounding her neck, only inches apart, in a classical sai cha position. She could feel the end drawing near. But nothing happened. Not yet, at least.

Finally, Trayus spoke. "You are strong," he finally said, "and would make a fine addition to my Brotherhood."

The choice was clear, even to her clouded mind. She was, literally, mere centimeters from death - all it would take would be a flick of a wrist, and her head would tumble from her shoulders. She knew her adversary would not take the risk of letting her regain enough strength. The choice needed to be instant. And, in her eyes, she had but two choices... serve as this man's slave, or death.

Was she ready for death? She could get up and fight him, but she would not hold out as long, and that kind of response would surely mean her death. The decision raced through her mind quickly, before she finally made her decision. "My life," she said slowly, still suffering from her near-suffocation at his hand, "is yours to command." She was beaten, he was proven the superior in combat, what was she to do? At least, through living, she could redeem herself and her actions through her servitude and, possibly, even grow to overpower this man. Even if it would take some time.

Darth Trayus deactivated both blades, and tossed hers to the ground in front of her. He was confident that, if she were to try to strike, it would be the last mistake she ever made. She was unlike his usual recruit, and so she would have to be kept on a short leash until she proved her loyalty. Even if she swore herself to him, she was still considered a liability until she could prove her loyalty. Or he could simply will her loyalty to him, so that he didn't have to continuously make sure she did not get in the way of his plans. But by doing so, he ran the risk of future aggressions, should the process be healed somehow. No, this one called for more subtlety than his previous candidates.

"I am Darth Trayus, scourge of the Jedi Order, conqueror of worlds, destroyer of the Light. You now serve me." He looked over at the still-unconscious Roghehk. "If I wanted you dead, I would have dealt with you myself to begin with." With that queue, another individual stepped forward, wearing what appeared to be modified Mandalorian armor of some sort. It seemed form-fitting, and non-traditional, but still held its inspirations from the the Mandalorian design. "Your first fight was merely a test, to see if you were worth anything to me alive. Count yourself fortunate you passed."
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Re: Dawn of Darkness

Post by Endorenna »

A harsh gasp rattled from Sathine’s throat as her opponent simply let go and allowed her to fall to the ground. She instinctively slurped in as much air as she could in one breath, blindly throwing out her hand to retrieve her weapon and simultaneously dragging herself to her knees. That fact that he had spared her had only partially registered in her oxygen-deprived brain, but she knew she didn’t want to wait and find out why. She had to resume fighting now before he could gain the upper hand once more—or, more accurately, keep it.


Her lightsaber was snatched from the ground by the Force and hurtled towards her outstretched hand, and for a brief instant, she actually thought it would reach her. That thought was dashed to pieces against reality in the next instant, when the elegant blade swerved from its path and into her dark opponent’s waiting palm. The deadly weapon flared to life, a slash of bloody crimson in her blurred vision, and crossed with his lightsaber. The tips of the blade scissored into position to decapitate her. She drew in another harsh breath and automatically held it as she waited for the sharp agony that would end her life.


A few seconds later, it registered that she wasn’t dead, the lightsabers weren’t moving, and she wasn’t stopping them.


The man began to speak. Her mind, which seemed to be becoming clearer with each passing moment, took in the fact that what he was saying was important and forced her to pay attention.


“You are strong, and would make a fine addition to my Brotherhood.”


Sathine’s jaw stiffened, and a flash of fear burst in her mind. The unspoken was obvious; she could live as a slave or die instantly. This was a moment she had dreaded since she was a child, ever since her father had taught her the finer details of the code he had bound her to.


”When you join the ranks of the defeated, you become the property of the victor. Your life, your mind, your body—everything you are, everything you have, becomes his to do with as he wishes. You live at his will; you die at his will.”


There was no so-called “choice”, no “option”, no way to “decide her fate”. She was clearly beaten. Her life belonged to the man standing in front of her, and it was not her place to choose death at his hand. Her place was merely to inform him that she acknowledged her defeat and the position forced on her.


Sathine bowed her head. “My life,” she began in a slow, rasping voice, “is yours to command.” She almost choked from the effort of speaking through her somewhat bruised throat, but managed to stop the reflex.


The lovely, deathly crimson faded from before her eyes, and she saw the silver handle of her lightsaber drop to the ground in front of her. She bit the inside of her lip and picked it up. The sour taste of her lost freedom filled her mouth, mixed with the caustic sensation of…terror. Everyone had their worst fears, certain things that frightened them beyond all reason. This was her nightmare—her life being sucked away into servitude only escapable by her death or her master’s death, neither of which she could deliberately provide.


He was speaking again. “I am Darth Trayus, Scourge of the Jedi Order, Conqueror of Worlds, Destroyer of the Light. You now serve me.” Wryly, Sathine pointed out to herself that she already knew the latter part of that statement quite well. Trayus continued, “If I wanted you dead, I would have dealt with you myself to begin with.” The young woman sensed someone new step forward, but, since Trayus didn’t seem to be hostile towards him, she paid him little mind. “Your first fight was merely a test, to see if you were worth anything to me alive. Count yourself fortunate you passed.”


Suddenly, the bitter taste of her new situation became even more acrid. That—the duel that had so suddenly changed her life—had just been a test? Somehow, that seemed even worse than him sparing her after he truly tried to kill her. But, of course, she could say none of those things. Instead, she merely replied submissively, “Thank you for your—mercy, my lord,” barely restraining herself from spitting out the word “mercy” as if it were poison.
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Re: Dawn of Darkness

Post by Cadden »

Darth Trayus grinned, and made no attempt at hiding it. She would serve him, but he would keep her on a tight leash until, like everyone else under his command, she too would fall to his influence. "Mercy?" he asked, turning his back to her. "You think what I am doing to you is... merciful? I have denied you the escape of death. Remember these words, and remember them well; fail me, and you will suffer for eternity." With those final words, Trayus walked away from her, leaving no indication as to what she should be expected to do next.

"Lord Trayus," what appeared to be an officer of some sort said, offering him a bow, and a sure sign of obedience for the Dark Lord of the Sith. "We have received word from Lord Invictus. He has made contact with them."

"I will take it in the command center," he responded. Trayus looked at the Mandalorian. "Show our newest recruit what is to be expected of her."

The Mandalorian nodded. "As you wish." Kir Varrus turned and faced the still-recovering dark Jedi. "Lord Trayus employs agents across the galaxy, according to what needs they may fill. You are a formidable warrior, but clearly it is not your only field of expertise. The Master predicts that your skills would be best suited under the guidance of Darth Malice. Do not mistake the Master for being ignorant in placing his confidence in your loyalty... he knows far more than you could possibly imagine. You do not want to cross him."

__________

Darth Trayus approached the comm. console. Activating the unit, the hologram of Darth Invictus flashed to life. "Lord Invictus," he greeted the other, "what is your report?"

"My lord," he replied, "we have secured a channel with what is called the Pravus Imperium. I have reason to believe that their leader, a woman by the name of Talia Sadow, knows the ways of the Force. I am willing to jump on a limb and identify it as knowledge of the dark side." This intrigued Trayus. So, his initial findings were proving correct. If the Pravus Imperium was run by one strong in the dark side of the Force, it would fuel his operations well. Though he had reason to believe that, if this Talia Sadow were the individual running the government, that there may have been someone even more powerful than her.

"You have done well, Lord Invictus. Are they willing to negotiate an alliance?"

"Yes, my lord. They wish to contact you when they are ready for these negotiations."

Darth Trayus nodded. "Make it so. I will remain here until the operations are underway, then I shall travel to Dromund Kaas." Lord Invictus nodded, and Darth Trayus terminated the transmission. Within the next twenty four hours, the planet Lorrd would be getting very busy, and not a single citizen would ever know, nor comprehend, why.
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Re: Dawn of Darkness

Post by Cadden »

Earlier

Darth Trayus inspected the statistics of the final deployment plans laid out before him. Everything was proceeding well. As he closed the report, an individual approach him from behind. "My Lord," he said, "we have an incoming priority signal from Dromund Kaas." Trayus looked over his shoulder at the man, trembling in fear, though doing everything he could to hide it. The fear kept him in line, but for how long?

"Very well," he said. Trayus waved the man away, whom bowed and made haste to leave the room. A maneuver that amused the Dark Lord. Turning to a comm console, Darth Trayus activated the relay and watched as a familliar image, Soryn Zaimur, the Blademaster of the Dromund Kaas Citadel, flickered to life. "What is it?" he demanded.

"My Lord," the Blademaster responded, "there is a Miralukan woman here." This report intrigued Trayus, as he stretched out with the Force. The man continued. "She is strong in the Force. What is your bidding?"

He meditated on it for a moment, before an answer came. "Is she a threat?"

"It is difficult to say," he responded. "She hasn't moved since she departed her ship. She appears to be in some sort of meditative trance. Possible waiting for something."

Or someone. He thought on it for a brief moment before responding. "I will be there shortly. Do not engage in any hostile actions, unless she attacks first."

Soryn appeared confused. "My Lord... if she attacks first? Shall we send the students after her?"

Darth Trayus grinned. Oh, how amusing that would be, to see such a foolish attempt to prove oneself to him. Though, admittedly, he would be impressed if a student managed to take her down. "If she is who I believe her to be," he said, "you won't have time to worry about how to defend yourselves." The man swallowed hard, and Darth Trayus merely cut the communication. Establishing another link, he simply said, "Kir Varrus, Roghehk, to me."

As he departed from the planet's headquarters, he paused short. His two escorts followed the action, though said nothing. Looking around, Trayus tried to gain a bearing on the presence he sensed. Where was it eminating from? Who was this person? Jedi? No... Sith? No. Something... different. He was quick to cloak his presence in the Force entirely, to the point that, if this individual had sensed him before, they would no longer be able to. It would do him little good, but it would provide just enough of an advantage to weed this intruder out, and do what he willed upon the person.

One of his guards, a Noghri, silently left his side, and slipped into the shadows. The other, a Mandalorian, stayed his ground. The two were issued their silent orders, and would fulfill them like the loyal dogs they had become. Trayus continued to move, passively attempting to narrow down the intruder's location through the Force. If he did not find the individual first, then Roghehk would.

OOC: I overlapped the end there, on purpose, to show when, exactly, this happened.

Now

Darth Trayus received the reports that the rest of the operation had been executed. The transports were lifting off, and en route to their destination. Satisfied, he once more departed from the headquarters, this time unguarded. There was little time to waste. If his findings were correct, someone was awaiting him on Dromund Kaas. He looked around briefly, and saw neither Sathine nor Kir Varrus. Her tardiness would not delay his departure. Without hesitation, he made his way to the spaceport, where his ship, the Shadow Hunter, was docked and, as per his orders, being prepped for launch. The ship was not outfitted for additional passengers, but Sathine's appearance on the planet was no coincidence. She would have to settle for the cargo hold.
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Re: Dawn of Darkness

Post by Cazzik »

A message was sent to the servants of Lord Trayus through sub space. Once it was opened a blue holographic image of a well dressed man appeared.

"Lord Invictus, my name is Taron Sol. I am a representative of the Pravus Imperium. Empress Sadow will speak to your lord. You are allowed one, non military vessel. Clearance will be granted for this one, small ship only. I have sent you the coordinates for the planet Ocassus. She will meet your lord there in three days time."

The message ended.

OOC: Sorry, short. I know.
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Re: Dawn of Darkness

Post by Endorenna »

Finally, the armored man nodded, and Trayus continued on his way. The man took a few steps closer to her and began speaking; Sathine decided to take that as a sign that she could stand. He blathered on a bit about Trayus’s far-reaching, well-placed cronies and the fact that she was good for more than just killing people (though truthfully, she wondered what he meant by that statement, seeing as how she’d done little else during her time in the galaxy). He continued that she didn’t need to underestimate Trayus for seemingly placing his trust in her, and mentioned that she really didn’t want to betray him if she valued her health.


Sathine shot the man a poisonous glare. Did no one in this galaxy know anything about debts? Very well—it seemed that she would have to explain the simple concept to him eventually if they remained in contact. Despite her thoughts, Sathine just bit out coldly, “I wouldn’t sully my honor with such a betrayal. Perhaps Lord Trayus simply understands that.”


"Lord Trayus, as his name implies, is the Lord of Betrayal. He knows it quite well." Kir Varrus walked, and Sathine followed. "As for honor, do not dare lecture me about honor. I am a Mandalorian... my life belongs to Lord Trayus, for he gave it meaning. Under him, I have been entrusted to lead armies into battle, decimate enemies by his will. He is my Mand'alor. He has no reason to distrust me; I have proven my worth to him. Your task, under Darth Malice, will be to do the same."


Sathine considered her words for a moment, then replied brusquely, “I know nothing about Mandalorians, and ‘Mand’alor’ is meaningless to me. As for lecturing you on honor, I wasn’t presuming to do so; I was merely commenting on my own system of it.”


Kir laughed, though Sathine probably assumed it was to mask his irritation. "You are free to your own honor, if it pleases you, woman," he responded. "Just don't let it interfere with your duties to your master. Allow me a lesson." They rounded a corner, toward the last stretch to the spaceport. No doubt, Trayus would be waiting for them there. "Consider yourself fortunate, for I do not indulge so freely. I will forgive your ignorance about Mand'alor and my code. Mand'alor is the leader of the Mandalorians. Our loyalties are to him first, and everything else comes after. When he issues a call to arms, we are bound by our honor to follow. He is our law.


"I am sure that those... Protectors... have their own Mand'alor by now. Rumor has it their previous abandoned them. Sounds to me like he got wise and left those weaklings behind. If so, then all members of the Protectors are bound by honor to follow that Mand'alor and his decisions.


"I am bound by my honor, bound by the promises of glory, to follow my Mand'alor, Darth Trayus. He has proven worth my loyalty, and I have proven to be loyal to him."


The Dark Jedi remained silent for several seconds, trying to decide what her next words should be. She needed to gather information to avoid alienating this man—whoever he was, he seemed to be important to her new master. Flatly (which, frankly, was as much as much interest as she could insert into her voice right then) she asked, “The Protectors? A rival faction?”


If only, the Mandalorian mused. "You don't get out much, do you?" he chided. "They're the... 'official'... Mandalorian presence in the galaxy." That was all Kyr spoke of the subject, as they neared the landing pad. They approached Darth Trayus, and both took a knee. Once beckoned to arise, Trayus ordered Sathine into the ship, and looked directly at Kir.


"What do you wish of me, my lord?" Kir asked.


"You will go to Cylon," Trayus ordered. "There, you will oversee the project personally, and act is my forward security."


"You suspect something?"


"I always suspect something."


Kir bowed, and turned to leave, and Trayus followed Sathine up into the ship. Moments later, it lifted off for Dromund Kaas.


=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=


Sathine sat in the corner of the cargo bay, paying no attention to the orderlies running around carrying out their tasks. They left her alone; apparently, someone had told them she was supposed to be there. She was focusing her strength on her wounded leg. She’d ripped the bloody cloth off her pants below the knee, exposing the large, sharp stone splinters that had gashed her calf. The young woman bit her tongue and started removing the shards one by one. She wasn’t good at field medicine—really, she’d never had much need for it—but she could bandage this.


Several minutes later, the remnants of the stones were in a small pile at her feet. Sathine wiped the back of her forehead with her hand, silently glad that particular task was over with. Blood still trickled from the gashes far more quickly than she would’ve liked, but she didn’t know what to do about it beyond binding it up. The girl picked up the edge of her floor-length cloak and ripped four wide strips from the bottom, reducing its length considerably. She folded the make-shift bandages into quarters and started wrapping her calf.
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Re: Dawn of Darkness

Post by Cadden »

Darth Trayus remained in the cockpit of the ship for the journey to the planet of Dromund Kaas. He remained confident in his abilities to keep Sathine under control, even when he passed her off to his apprentice, Darth Malice. He had made it an active process to put in seeds of corruption within all whom he came in direct contact with, thus allowing for the long-term brainwashing affect that had allowed him to secure to many loyal followers. None of them had known it happened, and were usually unaware of its affects until it was too late.

Sathine would be but one of those examples.

No doubt Kir Varrus had given her a lecture about loyalty, but it did not bother him. His duel with the dark Jedi woman had given him the opportunity to plant a seed of corruption within her mind, as well. Over time, it would grow, and consume her, as it had done for countless others before her.

He continued to meditate, preparing himself for the events to come. Everything had to be done flawlessly. One wrong move, and it would all be over. His eyes were closed, and he focused on the events to come.

War. Death. Destruction. Pain. Sorrow.

Trayus opened his eyes, a flare of a sulfuric yellow appeared , and slowly faded away. The dark side would give him the power he needed to fulfill his objectives. And, when he was finished...

The navicomputer signaled him that they were about to come out of lightspeed. Trayus could feel the dark side close. They had arrived.

The Shadow Hunter burst from lightspeed and, as it slowed down, the planet Dromund Kaas rapidly grew through the viewport, until the ship was slowed down to sublight speed. Without waiting, Darth Trayus set a course for the citadel. Moments later, the ship arrived, and touched down. He saw from their approach the proposed issue that was addressed to him. The individual was alone, and apparently had not moved at all. She gave off a familliar aura.

An aura he immediately picked up on.

Once the ship was shut down, Darth Trayus approached Sathine and had her follow him outside. There, she was ordered to wait, while he approached the stranger on the adjacent landing pad.
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Re: Dawn of Darkness

Post by Xanamiar »

"I believe you have something of mine, my Lord." The woman stood up from her meditative state. "And as you can see, I've found a new shell, this one was easy to vanquish, and the body is now mine."
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Re: Dawn of Darkness

Post by Cadden »

Darth Trayus looked over the individual, and finally nodded. While Rahk'neqah did not prefer the frailty of the human, or near-human, body, the dexterity held its advantages.

He reached to his belt and unclipped a short blade, then tossed it to the woman before him. "Your previous host underestimated you," he noted. "She was foolish to leave this behind." He turned his attention to the citadel, where he had some business to attend to. "The war is about to begin," he continued. "Your arrival was well-timed."

"What would you have me do, my lord?" she asked.

"The strike against the Jedi on Taylon was successful, though Master Wyn did escape. It was a shame you could not be there for it. The goading of the Mandalorians to war went as planned, and now their warrior spirit is fired up. They will move against the Empire."

"And then they will join us against our enemies," she finished for him.

Trayus grinned. She certainly had not forgotten anything. "Correct," he continued. "Lord Invictus has been negotiating an alliance with a group which calls itself the Pravus Imperium. They're controlled by someone powerful in the dark side, though I do not know who. I was going to send him to discuss an alliance, however, I feel that, if these negotiations turn sour, he will not return. I need someone I can count on to overcome a potential threat, if it becomes that."

The woman bowed. "I will do as you ask," she said.

"Before you go," Trayus said, "what is it you wish to be called?"

She grinned. "Jay'arah."

Trayus nodded. "You will receive the coordinates for the meeting shortly, Jay'arah."

When the two were finished, Trayus left her landing pad, and beckoned Sathine to follow him to the citadel. There they would find her mentor.
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Re: Dawn of Darkness

Post by Xanamiar »

Once Trayus was done speaking with her, she jumped up into her ship and headed out to the non military vessel that was provided for her by the fleet. She made her way up the ramp and after recieving the coordinates she took the ship into hyperspace, and began to meditate on what lied ahead.

The sensors of the ship began to bleep, as the ship reached it's destination. The ship came out of the starfields and back into normal space. Jay'arah put in the coordinates of the landing pad she was to use.

"Unknown Vessel, please identify yourself."

"I am Jay'arah representative of Darth Trayus."

After several moments of silence the voice came back.

"Proceed to the landing pad. You have been cleared."

Jay'arah sat back in the captain seat as the ship took over, taking her down to the landing pad. She reached over and picked up a long cane that was sitting in the seat next to her. She didn't need it, but it seemed to help with small things that would be in her way, at least until she got used to her new body. She exited the ramp of the ship and stood waiting for an escort to show her where they were meeting.
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Re: Dawn of Darkness

Post by Cadden »

Darth Trayus lead Sathine into the citadel, where she was overcome by the restored antiquity of the place. It was as if it were built yesterday, though the general appearance of the location easily gave off its age as several millennia old. Much like the city the it was located in, the citadel stood strong on the planet. She knew immediately it served as a testament to her master's power, and to the loyalty of those around her.

Darth Trayus lead her through the citadel until they reached a room containing a lone individual. He was strong in the Force, and she noticed that, amidst his purple, tattooed skin, he had several battle scars. Scars left by lightsabers, and what appeared to be burns from lightning. He bowed before the approaching Sith Lord.

"Rise, my apprentice," Trayus spoke, and the individual responded. "I have something for you." Trayus motioned to Sathine. "She will be under your guidance. Teach her well." But not too well, he added to himself.

"Your will be done, my master," Darth Malice responded. The Kiri looked over Sathine, then back to his master. "What would you have me do?"

"We are on the verge of total war against the Jedi Order," Trayus continued. "Our spies are placed in many strategic locations throughout the galaxy. It is your task to take Sathine with you and deal minor blows against them. Instill fear into their hearts, and show them that they are not safe."

Malice bowed. "Yes, my master."

Trayus left Sathine with the Kiri Sith and proceeded through the citadel. When he reached his location, he took note that his blademaster, Soryn Zaimur, was instructing a group of Sith Warriors in combat techniques.

The lesson stopped as the Sith Lord arrived.

"Lord Trayus," Soryn spoke, kneeling before the Dark Lord. "Your presence is well-timed. Aside from the visit from that strange woman, I am pleased to inform you renovations are complete." Darth Trayus looked around the training room. He had seen much of the citadel since his arrival with Sathine, and each room looked complete.

"What of the throne room?" he asked.

Soryn looked him directly in the eyes. "It awaits you, my lord." Trayus finally beckoned him to rise. "It is as per your specifications. No detail was ignored. You will find it to be in perfect condition, and ready for your presence."

Darth Trayus nodded his approval. "Continue with your lesson." Soryn bowed, and did as he was told, while Trayus left the chambers. His presence in the room could not hinder the objectives of his Brotherhood. Soryn was his blademaster, and he was tasked with training his warriors in lightsaber combat. While he did not have a wealth of information in regards to the different forms of lightsaber combat, he was a competent duelist and was more than capable of fighting most Jedi that Trayus knew of. Additionally, many of the individuals that trained under Soryn knew of other forms of lightsaber combat. This provided valuable training in preparation for battle against their enemies.

Making his way to the throne room, Darth Trayus stopped at the entrance and gazed into the massive opening. A narrow catwalk, enough for four men standing shoulder to shoulder, lead up to a single throne. On either side appeared to be generators, harvesting the ionization storms into electric energy, no doubt to power the citadel and the rest of Kaas City. Trayus approached the throne, the electricity around him sparking and absorbing itself into the conductive material that transformed its energy throughout the city and, upon reaching it, sat.

He could feel the dark side surge through his body, as he opened himself up to the Force. Then, he understood. While the lightning powered the citadel and the city itself, it also served as a secondary purpose. The electric storm also powered the throne that which he sat on. A throne made from the results of Sith alchemy. With the electric storms, he could feel the Force amplify his senses, and he stretched out with them, closing his eyes. Yes... he could feel it, now. He sought something dangerous, something powerful. Yet the Jedi stood in his way. They had to be purged from the galaxy. Yet they were growing in power, growing in number. The war would have to be taken directly to them. There was no waiting anymore.

"My son," he heard a familliar voice speak in his mind. "The day you were born, the very fabric of the Force whispered the name... Cadden."

He opened his eyes, the pupils burning with such intense hatred that their glow emanated so brightly it consumed his eyes in a red blaze. It was time. He arose from the throne, lightning starting to form around his body, as he approached the entrance. "My child," the voice continued. "I watched with pride as you grew into a weapon against evil and tyranny." He departed from the throne room, leaving a wake of dark side energies in his path. Darth Trayus ignored those that witnessed him as he trekked through the citadel, and finally outside where his ship awaited him. "Remember, our family has always fought against the evils of the galaxy, with wisdom and strength." He approached the edge of the docking bay, and looked at his ship, before gazing out at the forest before him. "And I know you will show restraint when exercising your great power."

In a fit of rage, Darth Trayus let loose a fury of electricity into the forest before him. The lightning flowing from his fingertips intensified, and then clouds began to swirl above the terrain. He did not restrain himself, however, and continued to push, fueling his rage with pure dark side energy, until the weather surrounding the forest was so intense that it easily matched any storm to be found on Kamino. The effect began to grow, unrelentlessly, as the storm expanded in all directions. The heavy rain impaired his line of sight, but he continued to focus, as the lightning stopped flowing from his body and he instead focused strictly on the storm he created. The storm became so hazardous that it caused a regional warning among the Brotherhood. Several of his followers appeared from the temple only to become drenched in seconds as they bore witness to a ferocious storm that had gathered around them.

He halted his concentration, and Darth Trayus unsheathed Soulblade. Taking one single look at it, he wielded it with both hands and, without hesitation, brought it up into the air, and yelled in fury as he concentrated on the Force. Lightning struck down upon him, impacting against the blade. However, the blade itself absorbed the effects, and began to glow, as his hatred grew with his voice until, finally, everything suddenly came to a halt.

Darth Trayus stood there, grasping the sword's hilt with both of his hands, his eyes closed and blade before his face. He opened his eyes, now burning red as the dark side energies negated out of his body and dissipated like steam into the air. "But the truest victory, my son, is stirring the hearts of your people." Darth Trayus turned, blade lowered to his side, and looked at those whom had gathered before him. A single command, sent out telepathically through the Force, echoed across the confines of the Brotherhood. Those gathered before him were the loudest to his ears, as they erupted in an uproar of a battlecry. "I tell you this... for when my days come to an end... I sense you will become a powerful man, and the leader of a mighty empire."

It was time.
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Re: Dawn of Darkness

Post by Cazzik »

Several men in white armor with blaster rifles were there to greet Jay'arah as she set her vessel down on one of the Imperial Palace's landing pads. All of the Shock Troopers wore helmets with the exception of the one in front, clearly the leader. His armor was also slightly different, boasting several commendations. He bowed his head slightly, "Lady Jay'arah. I am Captain Mortel. I have been asked to escort you to the conference room where you will be meeting with Empress Sadow and Commander Frost."

The Shock Troopers turned and began the long march through the palace to the designated room. As the group entered it became apparent that the Pravus Imperium had taken many queues from the Galactic Empire when it came to decor. Not to mention the armor and weapons adorned by their troops. Captain Mortel bowed to the Sith and exited the room. It was only a short time later when the massive door slid open yet again and a new group walked in. Two soldiers dressed in black Royal Guardsmen armor entered first. They carried obvious lightsaber canes as their main weapon. They took up residence on either side of the door. A Mandalorian warrior entered next and said nothing to the Sith. He was a dangerous man and their was a confident aura about him. As he stood behind the chair at the head of the table another man entered the room. He wore red armor and a cape, but no helmet. He was an older man with several scars on his face. He bowed his head in respect to the Sith woman as he took a chair directly across the table from her. Following him was a beautiful, regal woman. She was clearly the Empress.

The woman moved gracefully to her seat at the head of the table, "Lady Jay'arah. Welcome to the Pravus Imperium. I am Empress Talia Sadow." She motioned to the older man in red armor, "This is Supreme Military Commander Carnor Frost."

As she sat she made a slight motion to the Mandalorian behind her, "Please forgive my bodyguard's presence. He rarely lets me out of his sight." Though she made a show of it both she and Jay'arah knew that neither woman needed a body guard. Just as Sadow could feel the Dark Side flowing from the Sith she knew the other woman could feel it radiating for her as well. The Empress smiled slightly, "You wished to meet with us on behalf of someone claiming the title of Darth. Obviously, we are interested in what he has to say."
"I'd like to nominate Cazzik for the Sexiest Man on Earth 2010." --Balsa
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Re: Dawn of Darkness

Post by Xanamiar »

"He only claims Darth, because no other titles seem to spread as much fear... yet."

Jay'arah paused but only for a moment as she grasped their responses to what she had just said.

"As for what I am here for, I'm here to offer you a position in what will become the most powerful Sith Empire to ever come about in this galaxy, all you have to do is agree to the alliance between our Empires. You lose nothing, but you will gain much." Jay'arah slid a datapad across the table to Empress Sadow. "Our offer is there, I believe you will find it to your liking."
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Re: Dawn of Darkness

Post by Cadden »

OOC: Combined post between me and Endorenna. Needless to say... it turned into a short novella....

IC:

Sathine followed Trayus with her eyes for a few moments as he walked away, then turned her attention to the other Sith. Instantly, she decided that she wanted to avoid all-out battle with the individual if at all possible. He looked rather... dangerous.

The young woman bowed her head slightly and clasped her hands behind her back. Quietly she murmured, "It is an honor to be... assigned to you, Lord... ?"

"Malice," the Kiri Sith responded coldly. "I am Darth Malice. My master wishes me to train you. So be it. You will become a powerful enforcer of his will, and servant of the Brotherhood." Darth Malice activated one of his lightsaber blades, bringing it before him. "I have also been ordered to instruct you in advanced combat. We begin now." With that, Malice immediately charged after Sathine, and swung at her ferociously with a Hawk-Bat Swoop maneuver found in Form IV, combined with a follow-through of the same form's Saber Swarm.

Sathine flung herself out of the reach of the lightsaber as the Sith Lord attacked her. She cursed inwardly and snatched her own lightsaber from her belt, switching it on and parrying his next attack. What, did this guy want to kill her on the first day? Out of habit, she shifted her weight onto her right leg, dropping into a brief stance, only to have her leg buckle--she'd forgotten for a moment that it was injured. The young woman stumbled and let herself follow her weight, dropping her away from the attack she would've otherwise been too late to block or dodge. She flung a puff of the Force at Malice's feet, trying to unbalance him for a moment, as she regained her feet and flowed back into the battle. Parry, dodge, slip away, parry again, let the opening in his defenses slip past without acting so she wouldn't chance killing him and displeasing her new master... she just had to flow with the Force until he tired of this.

Without her noticing, the gashes in her calf broke open and started bleeding again, leaving slick wet footprints in her path as the blood trickled down into and over her shoes.

"You are weak," Malice taunted her, as he pressed his attack, his saber form fluidly shiftng to Juyo and the tactics converting over flawlessly. "Be on the offensive. Don't simply wait for an opportunity to strike." He took careful note of her handicap and, after an application of a Juyo maneuver of Vornskr's Ferocity, used his open hand to squeeze her injury. He utilized the moment of weakness to execute the Juyo technique of Assured Strike, bringing his blade down before her. As he swung, he continued, "You create the opportunity!"

The blade stopped just short of its mark, and Malice, while he showed no signs of emotion, confidently withdrew the strike. "If you show weakness, you're dead." The Kiri Sith Lord turned and walked away.

Sathine glowered at the back of the retreating Sith Lord. His momentary focus on her injury had forced her to drop to one knee; her lightsaber had swung up to block his 'saber, but she had been a fraction too slow. At the same moment his blade had stopped, she stopped hers - the object of the lesson was to show that she would've stopped his blade just too late, and her old master had trained her to freeze with him in practice rounds so he could show her whatever flaws she had at the moment. Create the opportunity? Of course that was what she did. Her main form was Makashi; creating opening while diverting attacks was the basis of her form. Before this went farther and she was criticized unfairly once again. She turned off her lightsaber and rose to her feet, consciously forcing down the pain running up her leg from the attack. "Before this goes farther - Master - I have to know one thing. If I see an opening during one of these... sessions... am I allowed to strike, or am I forced to stay my blade, as I did now?"

Malice remained silent for a moment, before he finally responded. "If you can strike me down, then you may," he responded. He turned to face her from a fair distance away. "You won't be given the opportunity, I'm afraid." He reactivated the red blade. "But you are welcome to try."

A trace of a smile formed on Sathine's face. She hadn't planned to try anything at that moment, but he was obviously challenging her to do something. Since he'd offered, she would oblige him. She saw a bench out of the corner of her eye. It was fastened to the floor, but that didn't matter. She'd ripped certain stones out of the middle of cliffs during her early training; a few screws posed no more trouble than the air itself.

A mere split-second after she'd selected the bench for her purposes, her fingers twitched. The bench simultaneously tore out of the floor and flew towards Malice at high speed. Sathine didn't hold the furniture all the way; she gave it just enough momentum to keep going without her, then let go of it and let the Force envelop her in its warmly concealing cloak. She split off a small part of her consciousness and used it to wrap a thin shield around her injured foot to keep the dripping blood from giving her position away. Her senses were dulled while she was cloaking, yes, but she could still use the Force on herself in this state.

Sathine swiftly, but silently darted far to her right and waited to see what Malice would do now that he couldn't see her with his eyes or feel her with the Force.

Darth Malice was a formidable warrior, but he had also received extensive training from both Darth Invisus and Darth Trayus in the ways of the Force. As the bench came flying toward him, he immediately unclipped his second blade and, staying a defense with the first, he snapped the second around and sliced the bench in half, sending both pieces harmlessly away.

He focused on Sathine's last known location, and smiled. "You do what you must," he noted. But she failed to learn something of him beforehand. He was a trained assassin, and he, too, knew how to cloak himself in the Force.

But he didn't. It was an upper hand that he would maintain throughout the training session.

Darth Malice focused on the dark side of the Force, and drew his power from the Force presence of Sathine. Even though she was cloaked, she still maintained a presence in the Force, even if he could not sense it himself. But the Force did not operate on such constraints as its users did.

They were traces, very slight in the Force, but it was enough for him to stay alive, and that was all he needed. He focused on her new location, and charged. She would have the upper hand for but a split moment, enough to win him over, hence where his second lightsaber would come in handy.

Sathine scowled slightly as Malice charged her. It seemed her was familiar with her power. How annoying. She balanced herself lightly on her feet and waited for him to get closer... closer... closer...

Then, just before he came within striking range, she didn't attack. She leaped high into the air, powering herself with the Force, and flipped forward. The young woman started coming down, changing her direction slightly so she would land about four feet behind Malice, and uncloaked as she fell. Her focus immediately flew to one spot; the activation switches on Malice's lightsabers, the one in his hand and the one he'd used to destroy the bench.

The switches jammed just as she landed; the active lightsaber switched off, and the other one remained silent. Quickly, she struck at the Sith, hoping not to kill him--just to wound him, however slightly.

The lightsaber came at him, and Darth Malice, rather than trying to maintain the advantage, feigned to his momentary disadvantage, and turned it against her.

"A true warrior never relies simply on weapons," he says, as he dodged out of the way. Simultaneously, Malice repositioned himself and, while Sathine's arm was still extended after her failed attack attempt, and grabbed her forearm with his now-free hand. With his other hand, which also had by now discarded the lightsaber back to its clip, he connected with her arm and, applying pressure, loosened her hand just enough to allow for him to pull the lightsaber from her using the Force. Malice grabbed the blade and brought it forth toward her, outside of striking distance, with the red blade pointed toward her forehead.

"You're too confident, you let your guard down," he noted. Malice deactivated the blade, and tossed it to her feet. Malice unclipped his primary blade once more, and reactivated the blade. "However, you're applying yourself. Good.The Jedi are far more susceptible to the unorthodox than we."

Sathine didn't bother to bend over to pick up her 'saber; she just snapped it to her hand and flicked it back on, backing away slowly as she did so, ignoring the fresh waves of pain the emanated from her calf. She had to. She had to draw strength from the pain, not allow it to overcome her. That was what would save her in battle, and that was what would save her from looking like a complete fool here.

The Jedi...why were they the enemy? She needed to know if she would be effective at killing them. Now was as good a time as any to ask. The Dark Jedi carefully kept her guard up, but refrained from attacking and waited for him to make the next move. Flatly, forcing herself not to let her voice quaver as it wanted to, she asked, "I know very little about the Jedi. Why will we be hunting them?"

It was an excellent question. One that Darth Malice, before he was called such by his last master, wondered himself. But, under Darth Invisus's tutelage, and the example from Lord Trayus, he knew all too well. "The Jedi are a blight upon this galaxy," he said bluntly. "They claim to be guardians of the innocent. Yet they are the very cause of war.

"The Force Wars," he continued. "The Jedi would prefer the galaxy to know it was caused by followers of the dark side of the Force that vied to usurp power from what would later become the Jedi Order. The truth? The wars started because the future Jedi refused to follow change in philosophy." Malice slowly started to walk around her, lightsaber still active. "The First Great Schism. In truth, the followers of the dark side sought to improve the Jedi Order. They felt the Jedi were weak, given their pacifism, but the Jedi would not adhere to change. Change that would have brought about a stronger order.

"The Great Hyperspace War; the Sith arise, and vie to stake their revenge against the pious Jedi Order for shunning us because of our differences. Two thousand years ago, a famous and well thought of Jedi Master withdrew from the Order, seeing its weakness and hypocricy, and went on to reform the Sith. His legacy, would carry for four thousand years before the treacherous Jedi obliterated his followers. Or so they thought. Fifty years ago, the Trade Federation blockades Naboo. A resulting battle, instigated by the Jedi themselves, results in the death of a Sith Lord. Ten years later, the Jedi interfere with the formation of the Separatists, a movement to oppose the Galactic Republic. The Jedi make the first move, and attempt to destroy its leaders in one fell swoop. Three years later, the Jedi murder a Sith Lord, attempt the murder of a second, and nearly kill a third."

By now, Malice was at a full circle, and he stopped close to where he began. "Fourteen years ago, the Jedi return and murder two Sith Lords onboard the Death Star, over the forest moon of Endor. I ask you... does this sound like how an order devoted to peace and justice should act?"

Sathine considered for a moment, weighing her answer between being truthful, the consequences for lying, and the consequences for disagreeing. Finally she stated, "My f -" Damn, she'd almost said 'father". A flicker of hatred rose in her at the thought of him, but she continued her statement, barely freezing between the "f --" and her continuation of the word. "Former master said they were merely misguided, too trusting, and they were destroyed. He never commented on their... moral status. I don't care why I'm killing them." She took a deep breath and forced herself to continue evenly, masking both the physical pain and the sting of defeat and enslavement from her tone. "My master is Darth Trayus. He ordered me to kill them. I only need to know them enough to predict when and where they'll be weak."

"Misguided? Perhaps. Too trusting? Far too much. But their biggest flaw is their biggest secret. It wasn't Order 66 that destroyed the Jedi Order." Darth Malice smiled. "The Jedi are weakest when they are the most predictable, when they are the most exposed. To kill them is the same that you would kill any living creature. You strike at its heart."

"That doesn't tell me anything!" Sathine bit out, unable to control the flame of hate that the mention of her father and Trayus had brought about. "Of course they're weak when you know what they're doing! That's true of everything I've killed! I need to know how to manipulate them in battle - to do that, I need to know when they'll feel sorry for me, or if they will at all, and if I can expect to succeed if I try to use by body to distract a younger one of them in battle! I need to know their Code, their way of thinking, why one of them will attempt to kill me when they sense me, if there's a chance that they'll feel compassion towards a young woman who was obviously drawn to the Dark Side against her will, or if the average Jedi will simply strike me down and continue on his way!"

"It tells you more than you know," Malice objected. "The heart of the Jedi Order... their Council. Order 66 was successful because it removed the Council from the Order, thus leaving it in disarray and such an easy target for the Sith. The heart of a Jedi... the Code. They live and breathe by their Code. You understand their Code, you understand a Jedi.

"There is no emotion, there is peace," he recited from a drilled memory. "There is no ignorance, there is knowledge. There is no passion, there is serenity. There is no chaos, there is harmony. There is no death, there is the Force. You wish to know how to kill a Jedi by striking at their heart? Learn this code, understand it... manipulate it to your advantage, and you will be victorious."

Malice proceeded to tell Sathine the meaning of the Code, line by line, the way he was taught it. Sathine focused solely on Malice and herself now, barely noticing that they were still circling, their lightsabers ready. She had heard his entire explanation, had absorbed the knowledge in silence, filing away his every word for future reference. Killing Jedi would be her life now; she had to know everything about them. At the end of the explanation, he did something seemingly uncharacteristic of him.

"Do you have further questions?"

The question caught Sathine off-guard. She ran over possible questions in her mind, and found one prevalent above all others.

The Dark Jedi steadied her breathing, suddenly noticing how difficult it had been to stay upright for the past few minutes, and how cold and numb she felt. As hard as she tried to keep her voice steady, though, she could not form words reliably between her numb lips. "M-may I - with your permission - rest for a few moments and b-bandage my wound? I-I seem to have lost a large amount of blood."

It was true. The sticky red liquid was still flowing steadily from her leg, unable to clot thanks to the constant movement of the past several minutes and the fact that they'd been ripped open wider when Malice had focused on the wounds. A circle of drying blood had been painted on the floor where they'd been circling; her destroyed boot and lower pants leg were soaked through. Drawing strength from pain was one thing, but every physical body had its limits.

Malice was displeased with Sathine's request. "To submit to your vulnerabilities exposes your weakness," he scolded, and extended his free hand at Sathine. Darth Malice used the Force to lift the woman off the ground. "When I first met Lord Trayus, I continued to fight until I could not fight any longer. Your wound is but a mark that displays how weak you truly are." With those words, Malice threw Sathine to the ground. "Get up, and fight me."

Sathine gritted her teeth and got up, forcing herself to focus her attention for combat. A surge of hatred towards Malice boiled through her. She'd expected his answer, and it disgusted her that he was so predictable in his behavior. And as far as Trayus went? "I got this from Lord Trayus!" she managed to spit out as she steadied herself. "I didn't ask for quarter! I fought until he was about to kill me, and then he decided I would be useful! Don't throw this scratch in my face when I received it from him!" Unbeknownst to her, her eyes had started glowing yellowish-red; all she knew was that she felt the Dark Side rushing into her. She didn't wait for him to say anything else - she just drew back her arm and drove out a Force Push - not a big one, or even a very powerful one, but a precise one - aimed directly at the floor a few feet on front of Malice, at a point that drove up the flooring and threw it at him, under him, around him, designed to throw him off-balance. The Dark Jedi used one last resort, something that her father had told her to do if it were completely necessary. Her lightsaber flashed down, back a bit, and swept across her calf, a bare half-millimeter away from the skin. The girl choked back a scream as the white-hot energy burned her - and cauterized the outside of the wounds, slowing the bleeding.

Malice was taken offguard by the assault, and for a moment he lost his footing, but he retained his balance enough to where a correction in his stance and posture kept him from being knocked to the ground. As he recovered from the surge of energy, he took note that she had just finished cauterizing her wound. "It matters little what the reasons for your weakness," he retorted. "I suffered grevious wounds from my master, and yet here I stand, stronger than ever! What matters is how you adapt to what happens to you. A gash in your leg is nothing." He took distinctive note of something Sathine herself apparently had not; her anger was encompassing her. Good. "Stand on your feet, and strike at me."

"Of course I'll recover," Sathine retorted harshly. "But I'm not foolish enough to ignore injuries to the point where they injure me permanently! That isn't the mark of the Dark Side, it' s the mark of a fool!" She let the Force rippling through her suddenly speed her feet; she crossed the distance between her and Malice in an instant, attacking just as she reached him.

Darth Malice sneered at her arrogance and, as Sathine charged him, he performed a common Shii-Cho maneuver; Disarming Slash. The blade connected with hers beautifully, but it was not quite enough. Her hatred was making her more powerful, but also more foolish. She needed to learn to control it, to command it, not to let it control her. Without hesitation, he delivered a swift blow to Sathine's chest with his foot, sending her back. Darth Malice twirled his lightsaber in his free hand nonchalantly. "Any wound is healable by the powers of the dark side of the Force! The only foolish thing is to ignore what your potential is, and focus on fabricated limitations." Sathine charged at him again, and he easily blocked with his blade, and pushed her attack away, as her body followed in suit a couple meters back.

"You have promise, I can see why Lord Trayus spared your life. But I sense great fear in you. You have hate, you have anger, but you don’t use them." He was toying with her, now, pushing her, probing her weaknesses. Malice did not expect her to learn this lesson today, but before he was done with her, she would learn it. Whether she wanted to or not.

"I didn't tell you to play Limmie with me," he chided, "I told you to attack me!"

Sathine glared at Malice, her injury, her situation - everything but harming the Sith in front of her was forgotten. She felt her strength gathering, strengthening, focusing, readying for an explosion from her. The Dark Jedi didn't even try to contain it; her hands started trembling with energy. She propelled herself forward soundlessly, not wasting her energy on a shriek of rage. One, two blows; she caught his blade in a clench and shoved it hard to the side, throwing all her weight behind it. The energy built up within her couldn't be contained any longer. It blew out of her free hand in the form of Force Lightning, a crackling storm of her wrath and pain thrown at her enemy point-blank, threatening to envelop his torso, throat, and head.

Darth Malice was hit hard by the sudden barrage of lightning and buckled. It seemed as though Sathine had won, but within seconds he had channeled his strength from the dark side, and he brought up his own hands. With a loud yell, he began to absorb the lightning into his hands, and got up from his knee. Malice's eyes glowed with rage, but a noticeably controlled rage, as he concentrated on the dark side of the Force. "Impressive," he yelled over the commotion of the lightning, "but your powers cannot equal mine!" With a yell, he pushed the lightning back against Sathine in unrelenting fury. When she could not take the punishment any further, he stopped, and stood over her.

Sathine lay on the ground, her muscles still twitching slightly from the lightning. She gritted her teeth and tried to get up, but found herself unable to make her muscles work correctly. The yellow in her eyes faded back to blue.

"It is as I said," he continued, "you won't be given the opportunity to strike me down."

A small smile appeared on her face, a slightly triumphant smile. She looked up at him and shook her head slightly. "I didn't want to "strike you down"," she rasped through her suddenly dry throat. "I just wanted to hit you. After all, if I killed you, I wouldn't get any training from you, would I?"

Malice nodded. She was finally beginning to understand. But she had a long way to go before her training was considered complete. "You may have succeeded at hitting me," he said, "but a small victory does not win a battle, nor a war. Just because you kill one Jedi, doesn't mean you have successfully decimated the Jedi Order. You succeeded at breaking my defenses, but it's left you in my mercy. Before we are done, that weakness shall be fixed, and you will be turned into a powerful enemy against the Jedi."

As Sathine struggled, Malice determined the lesson was over. If she could do anything more, it would be a quick and easy victory for him. There was no further purpose of teaching her that day. "Allow me to share with you what my last master instructed to me. Listen well, for it will serve you well. To defeat your enemies in combat, you must first learn to control your anger and hatred. Call upon these feelings, let them fuel your desires. You took merely a step in the right direction... I intend to see you complete that journey."

Sathine's vision started to blur. She was losing consciousness. The last thing she saw was Darth Malice turning and walking away from her.
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Re: Dawn of Darkness

Post by Cazzik »

Talia picked up the data pad and skimmed over it slowly before passing the device to Commander Frost. Her eyes returned to Jay'arah and for a moment their gazes met. This woman claimed to be a Sith Lord. She claimed to serve another Sith Lord; a master. Talia Sadow had claimed many titles in her life. Jedi Knight, Dark Jedi, Empress of the Pravus Imperium, and most recently, Darth Paxis. She was very skeptical that Jay'arah's master was more powerful than her own. Lord Terris was nothing short of a force of nature. However, that was not something she needed to share at the moment. Without looking at the other individuals in the room she spoke, "Leave us. All of you."

Everyone except Commander Frost left. The three remaining people were quiet for a moment before Sadow continued. "You have provided nothing of value thus far, Lady Jay'arah. I don't want to read your proposal on some data pad. I want you to explain to me why I would ever consider an alliance? Explain it to me because if I feel it is in the best interest of our......organization then I will need to explain it to my master."

Sadow's eyes narrowed, "My master is not one to easily forgive being interrupted. I'm sure you can relate."
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Re: Dawn of Darkness

Post by Cazzik »

Cazzik looked through the viewport of the Hyperion as the small ship grew closer to its destination. The much larger Victory Mark II Star Destroyer slowly filled the window. Cazzik could clearly make out the Jedi Order and New Republic insignias on the hull. The idea behind the new vessel was a good one. Commissioned by the New Republic Senate and heavily modified by Wyn Enterprises, none other than his son Xanic's company, the ship was now ready. It had been decided that the vessel would be placed under the command of a Jedi Master who tentatively operated within the ranks of the Republic military. Cazzik had been the one approached by the Senate and he had accepted. He was one of the first Jedi Masters to officially hold the rank of General in the New Republic since the Clone Wars. He had also been the one allowed to name the ship.........the Star Rider, in honor of Renalla.

The Hyperion docked aboard the warship and Cazzik walked down the ramp only to be greeted by several members of the crew. Among them was Red Seven, his new First Officer. Seven had actually served in the Clone Wars as an elite Clone Trooper. Somehow he had been immune to the Order 66 command and had remained loyal to his Jedi commanders. Eventually he had been captured and placed in suspended animation in order to be studied. Years later Cazzik and Cadden Blackthorne rescued him from the Anari Alliance and Seven had faithfully served the New Republic ever since. The ivory armored clone nodded at the Jedi, "Welcome aboard, General Wyn."

Cazzik smiled at him. His gaze turned to another familiar face. Kira Locke. She was a different kind of Jedi Knight. Though very skilled in the Jedi arts she was just as skilled in many other areas as well. Before her true Jedi training she had been a spy for the Republic. She had been trained by almost every major combat group in the galaxy, and despite being a full fledged Jedi now she still carried with her a blaster pistol at all times, along with her lightsaber. Not to mention an assortment of frag grenades and other dangerous weapons. Cazzik had helped prepare her for her duties as a spy, before she had been taken on as an apprentice by the late Master Azian Secura, whom had died fighting Kaycen Varrus alongside Cazzik, himself.

He recognized many of the other Jedi Knight aboard as well as some of the New Republic officers. However, none brought him as much joy as the young, green eyed woman who stood before him now. Her elegant lightsaber was clipped to her belt, and unlike many members of the Order, she did not wear the traditional robes. She took after her father in that regard, often wearing combat gear, such as she was now. Master Wyn put his hand on her shoulder and smiled brightly as the woman spoke, "Hello father. It's good to see you."

Cazzik had to admit that it was good to see her too. It had been several months since he had seen his daughter in person, "I'm pleased you decided to volunteer for this position, Jaina." She smiled and he turned his head to the beautiful woman standing next to his daughter. He didn't know this woman as well as he would like, but he hoped in due time that would change. Her name was Lorna Rayne-Wyn, and she was the wife of his son, Xanic, whom rarely spoke to him. She smiled and kissed her father-in-law on the cheek, "I am pleased to be here, Master Wyn. Xanic sends his regards and his apologies for not being here. He had other business to attend to. If you're willing, I would love to give you and Jaina a tour of the ship. Xanic really went out of his way when it went to modifying it. He did most of the planning and some of the hands on work himself. He didn't want me to tell you that, but I thought it was important."

Cazzik nodded his head, "We would love a tour, Lorna. And please, just call me Cazzik. After all, we are family. And do one favor for me when you return to Xanic. Please tell my son thank you for me."

Lorna smiled, "I will, Cazzik. I promise."
Last edited by Cazzik on Tue Dec 07, 2010 9:41 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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Re: Dawn of Darkness

Post by Xanamiar »

Jay'arah stood silent for a moment. As she stretched out with the Force, feeling the life of those in the room.

"If you don't join us, then you'll simply be in our way. We were hoping to avoid any unnecassary battles with the other acclaimed Sith in the area. If you are not interested, I will let my Lord know. He may wish to come himself and prove why it would be worth while, but I was not assigned to prove anything to you."

Jay'arah turned and begun to walk out the door.
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Re: Dawn of Darkness

Post by Cazzik »

The Empress shook her head, "You threaten without knowing anything of value about your potential adversary. Not the wisest strategy conceived."

Sadow stood up and faced the other woman, "I did not ask you to prove a thing to us. I want you to explain why an alliance is in our best interest. Nothing more, nothing less." Her eyes never left the other's. "However, if you decide to continue with these pointless threats and invoke war so be it. Your side may win. My side may win. One thing I can guarantee, however, is that you will not survive the conflict. My master will kill you personally."

Her eyes burned into the other woman, "If you're quite done with this nonsense then sit back down and continue with our negotiations. Otherwise leave and tell your master to send a more appropriate representative."
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Re: Dawn of Darkness

Post by Xanamiar »

Jay'arah laughed at the woman.

"It is in your best interest, for your own survival, it's not a threat, it's a guarentee. If you need any more reasons to join our cause, then perhaps Galactic dominance is enough. Unlike you, and your Master, we won't settle for anything less; we want what rightfully belongs to us. Everything."
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Re: Dawn of Darkness

Post by Cazzik »

Talia was slightly amused with the arrogance of the other woman. Hopefully this was not Lord Trayus' finest servant. If it was then his cause was doomed to fail before it ever really started, "The guards will escort you back to your vessel. Tell your master, Lord Trayus, that if he is indeed actually interested in an alliance to send some one better versed in negotiations. I don't have the time to waste on a blunt instrument such as yourself."

The Empress and Commander Frost stood up and left the room. The previous guards reentered and escorted Jay'arah back to her ship and allowed her to leave Imperium space without incident.
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Re: Dawn of Darkness

Post by Cadden »

OOC: It's pretty obvious, Xan, that there's no hope for Jay'arah to recover, given the confines of Cazzik's post. I'm rolling with it. Let me know if there's anything that needs to be changed in this post.

IC:

Darth Trayus watched from his throne as the doors opened on the opposite side of the catwalk, and in strolled a single individual. He knew immediately who it was, before she even arrived at the Citadel. As Jay'arah approached, she took a knee before him, and Trayus just watched for a moment, hands folded before his face. The Dark Lord looked her over. "You have failed me," he finally spoke after a moment of silence. "I sent you to negotiate terms of alliance, and you come back to me empty-handed."

Jay'arah raised her head so that her blindfolded eyes could meet his. "My Lord," she said, "they are unresponsive to your demands. There is no alliance to be found in them."

If Trayus did not know any better, he would leave it at that. But the pre-negotiations that Tyfus and Invictus had been sent to establish proved otherwise. He arose from his throne and approached her, stopping only a couple feet away. Motioning her to rise, Trayus moved his hands over her head, and focused. After a moment, he turned his back to her. "You approached them with threats of destruction," he responded, "You allowed them to get under your skin. This is unacceptable. I am removing you from this assignment. Clearly, my faith in your diplomacy skills was misplaced. You have been imprisoned for far too long, you have become rusty. It is not a large concern, however, for I have a different assignment for you. One that is more suitable to your... unique... abilities." Darth Trayus walked back to his throne and took his seat. In the days since his call out through the Brotherhood for their gathering of arms, the Dromund Kaas temple had grown quieter, as the more skilled dark Jedi had been departed on various missions throughout the galaxy. Some of them even unearthed some information that proved to be of importance to the Sith Lord.

"I have received word that the Sith Empire may be recovering quicker than anticipated," he continued. "This cannot be allowed to happen. If it does, everything we have worked for will come to an end, as their gathering in strength will see the end of this risen empire. And if this empire falls, so do our plans. Take what you must, and make sure their regrowth remains on our schedule. Not theirs."

After Jay'arah took her leave, Darth Trayus turned his chair to look out at Kaas City. The situation with the Pravus Imperium was dire, but it was not beyond salvaging. However, Jay'arah's failure to obtain an alliance did manage to unearth some useful information. A second failure, at this point, would result in the undermining of the entire operation. Trayus was preparing himself for the direct engagement against his enemies, and while Invictus had initiated these negotiations to begin with, the new information that Jay'arah had unearthed about the Sith that ran this Imperium proved his previous suspicions well. While an apprentice was known to boast about the abilities of the master, this Talia's claims seemed genuine, and now simply for show. Much as how Jay'arah's were. If the negotiations were to fail a second time, Invictus would not return.

It was something he would have to do himself.

"Instruct the ground crews to ready my ship," he said. A figure, shrouded by the shadows, made a movement that appeared to be a bow, before disappearing entirely. The door at the opposite side of the catwalk opened, and closed again, leaving Trayus alone. He would take two personal guards with him, but not for protection. He activated a comm link. "Patch me through to Cylon."

Several days later

Within Pravus Imperium space, a single ship broke out of lightspeed and reverted back to sublight speed. The custom-designed ship, reminiscent of a YT-series design, stayed its course as it was contacted by the local patrol. When Trayus identified himself as, merely, a representative for the Sith Brotherhood, he was allowed landing permissions, and he followed the instructions to his destination. There, he was greeted by a familliar company. But Trayus himself was not alone. Standing on either side of him were two robed individuals, both sporting a vibrolance.

The tension was high, he could feel it. The last meeting was not exactly successful. He intended to rectify that mistake. Trayus and his two guards were led to a room, and he patiently awaited the arrival of Talia. He would reveal himself to her personally.
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Re: Dawn of Darkness

Post by Cazzik »

Darth Paxis, better known to the galaxy as Talia Sadow, stood in the throne room of the Imperial Palace. The Empress had been notified that yet another representative of the Sith Brotherhood had arrived. It didn't appear to be any of the individuals that had come before. That was a shame. She had not minded negotiating with Commander Tyfus or Lord Invictus. She stepped out of the room and was greeted by her escort, Commander Frost and four members of the Sith Shadow Guard. They made their way to the conference room where their guests would be waiting. As the door slid open Talia stepped through and could immediately sense something different about this man.

She nodded in polite greeting to the ambassador and even his guards. Her own took up residence behind her and her military leader, "Welcome to the Pravus Imperium, Ambassador. I am Empress Talia Sadow and this is Supreme Military Commander Carnor Frost. I am pleased that your master wished to continue with negotiations for an alliance. Now, how can we benefit one another?"
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Re: Dawn of Darkness

Post by Cadden »

Darth Trayus grinned underneath his mask. Ambassador. "No need for such formalities, Talia," he said, "you may address me as Darth Trayus." He studied their reactions and, using it to his advantage, continued. "You will have to excuse the last associate I sent, I misjudged her negotiative skills. The fault is not her own. She has proven her value to me many times over, so take it from me when I suggest that you not judge her based on one sour incident."

Trayus withdrew the hood of his robe to reveal his face, half covered by the metallic mask, the burns and injuries he received from Crystal somewhat visible beyond the coverings he had since forced to don for himself. "You are no doubt wondering what I could possibly offer you that you do not already have. Jay'arah told you what I want. What you get out of this is, simply, a piece of the cake. I am going to bend this galaxy to my will. In the end... all will either succumb to the dark side, or be destroyed. You get the opportunity of a lifetime... being involved in this process. I come here seeking an alliance, not an enemy. The Jedi will be exterminated, under my guidance they will be completely wiped out. And when that happens... the galaxy will fall."
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Re: Dawn of Darkness

Post by Cazzik »

Sadow was slightly surprised to be face to face with Darth Trayus. This had been unexpected on his part. However, he did seem genuinely interested in an alliance. Perhaps her master would like the idea. The Lady Sith motioned to her guards and one of them opened the door and allowed a small droid with four legs to walk in. The top of the droid was a flat surfac; clearly a holo pad. The mechanical creature halted at the end of the table and there was a blue flash before a life size image of another man appeared. He was completely armored, reminiscent of Darth Vader in that aspect. The armor was clearly helping to keep him alive and not only for visual intimidation. The man studied those in the room carefully before Sadow spoke again, "Lord Trayus, this is Darth Caedus, my master's Foremost Apprentice."

The two Sith Lords nodded at one another and Sadow explained to Caedus what the leader of the Brotherhood had told her. The metallic man was quiet for sometime, almost as if he was in some sort of a trance. Finally, after several moments he spoke, "My master agrees to your terms, Lord Trayus. I will be your primary contact in this alliance. Should you need to contact him you will do so through me."

Caedus looked at Frost and Sadow, "Both of you leave us. And take the guards."

Talia obeyed, though she clearly didn't like taking orders from Caedus. When the door slid shut behind them Caedus spoke again, "Should we discuss our immediate plans, Lord Trayus?"
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